King receives youth empowerment award winners

Manama, Feb. 25 (BNA): His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa today received, at Al-Sakhir Palace, HM the King’s Representative for Charity Works and Youth Affairs, Supreme Council for Youth and Sports (SCYS) Chairman and Bahrain Olympic Committee (BOC) President His Highness Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al-Khalifa, who introduced the winners of King Hamad Youth Empowerment Award to Achieve the Sustainable Developments Goals (SDGs). Addressing the ceremony, HM the King expressed delight at the results of the participation in the award which, he says, embodies the aspirations and hopes shared with the international community to achieve the sustainable development goals for a better world of peace, development and prosperity. He stressed the importance of the award which stems from a royal firm belief in the role of youth in shaping their future, engaging them in the development programmes and preparing them to assume their duties and serve their nations responsibly. HM the King congratulated the award winners in all categories, whether individuals, Government or non-government institutions, hailing their efforts to empower the youth so that they play a pioneering role in building their nations and elevating their societies. He commended HH Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al-Khalifa for overseeing this international initiative, thanking the United Nations (UN) relevant agencies, the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the jury members for their efforts to ensure the award achieves its goals. HM the King then honoured the laureates of the winners of King Hamad Youth Empowerment Award to Achieve the Sustainable Developments Goals (SDGs) as follows: Individual category: Miss Hedia Ali Shirazi from Pakistan, who worked on implementing an array of initiatives to achieve the Sustainable Developments Goals (SDGs). Private Sector Category: The Gulf Petrochemical Industries Company (GPIC), which contributed to achieving the four indicators through education, training and the environmental lectures. The award was presented to GPIC President Dr. Abdulrahman Jawaheri. Government Sector Category: The youth organization affiliated with the President of Azerbaijan, for supporting innovative youth ideas. The award was presented to Azeri Youth Organisation staff Chief Faeq Gorbatov. Non-profit and International Organizations: Youth for Development Organisation, Sierra Leone, in recognition of its role in empowering youth different fields. The award was presented to the Sierra Leonean organisation’s programme coordinator Othman Sharif. HM the King honoured members of the supreme jury: Egypt’s Minister of Youth and Sport Khalid Mahmoud Abdulaziz and UAE Minister of State for Youth Affairs Shamma bint Suhail bin Faris Al Mazrui. He also honoured members of the preliminary jury: UNDP Innovation Team Leader Jennifer Colville, UNDP Development Programmes Analyst in Bahrain Ali Salman Saleh and UNDP Regional Communication Advisor No’aman Al-Sayyed. HM the King was presented with a commemorative memento on this occasion. HH Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa earlier delivered a speech, in which he expressed appreciation of HM the King’s support to Bahraini and international youth in various fields, noting the royal belief in the youth as they are the true engine of the development and construction process. He said that launching the royal initiative to promote and empower the youth to achieve sustainable development goals has stimulated government and private institutions to focus on empowering the youth to contribute to achieving the sustainable development goals set out by the United Nation and adopted by world leaders in the 2015 Global Summit. He pledged to push forward with supporting the youth and launching leading initiatives in the area of youth empowerment to accentuate Bahrain international standing. He underlined Bahrain’s keenness on assuming responsibilities for engaging the youth in achieving sustainable development goals. He extended thanks to Youth and Sport Affairs Ministry, UN Economic and Social Council, UNDP in Bahrain and the jury committee for their close cooperation that contributed to the success of the royal initiative. UN Resident Coordinator in Bahrain, Amin El Sharkawi, in his speech, said the award reflects Bahrain’s commitment to achieving the sustainable development goals designed by the UN. He added that the award had attracted the world focus to the National Action Charter principles that concentrate on promoting the youth mentally and physically. He said Bahrain’s adoption of the UN sustainable development, Government Action Plan for the next several years, in addition to Bahrain’s Economic Vision 2030 signifies its pledge to achieve the 17 goals of the 2030 sustainable development. He added that the award is within the strategic agreement between the Kingdom of Bahrain and the UN signed on October 24, 2017. Citing statistics, he said that the overall number of entries approved by the preliminary jury topped 602 from 87 countries – 448 in the individual category, 111 Non-profit and International Organizations category, 22 in the Government Sector category and 21 in the Private Sector Category. He stressed the importance for governments to invest in youth and engage them in efforts to achieve the Sustainable Developments Goals (SDGs). He pointed out that youth make up about 60% of the overall population. Miss Shirazi address the ceremony, on behalf of the award winners, expressing great honor to stand before HM the King on this special occasion "This celebration that brings us together with a leader who understands and believes in the importance of the active role played by young people in leading the world towards broad horizons of development and giving them the full opportunity to unleash their bright ideas and innovation to be the basis for the development of the world and the various components of sustainable development in it", she said. "On this day we bring to you a message of thanks and appreciation from the youth of the world, and I have the honor to speak on their behalf. Please allow me to express our sincere gratitude for your initiative to empower young people to achieve the sustainable development goals, an initiative which is the first of its kind on a global level". "These initiatives were launched by your illustrious Kingdom, which showed its clear interest in the youth of the world and realized its responsibilities towards the youth and was able to achieve an important international consensus, making this award widely spread because of its noble goals towards youth and the countries of the world". "We are proud to have participated in your Majesty's award to empower young people to achieve the sustainable development goals. This award has provided us with a real and ideal opportunity to spread our creativity, ideas and innovation towards achieving the goals of sustainable development and to send a clear message to all officials in our countries that we are going to lead the bright future of our world, and are ready to participate in its development and to let our ideas achieve the sustainable development goals". "In the end we would like to thank you once again, for honoring us after our participation in your Majesty's Award to empower young people to achieve the sustainable development goals and we highly value and appreciate your Majesty's keenness to support the youth of the world".