Silatech, a regional social initiative, and the International Youth Foundation (IYF) will jointly hold a three-day conference next month in Amman, Jordan designed to develop solutions to growing youth unemployment crisis in the region.

The event, “Arab Youth Employment: Promoting Innovative Solutions to Longstanding Challenges,” is expected to draw over 350 delegates from throughout the Arab world.

Youth unemployment in the Arab countries is the highest of any region in the world, and is growing. The jobless rate among Arab youth has increased from 24per cent in 2009 to 29per cent in 2014, while entrepreneurship has declined over the same period.

Organised by Silatech and hosted by IYF, the conference will be held at the Landmark Amman Hotel from April 28 to 30.

The conference is innovative in its approach, with a crowd-sourced agenda that features 18 sessions that are being organised by over 20 contributing partners – leading youth-serving organizations from across the region and the world.  The content will showcase the rich knowledge and innovative approaches that are being developed throughout the region.

Silatech CEO Dr Tarik M Yousef said: “Over the last decade, many initiatives have been introduced throughout the region to fight unemployment and provide opportunities to our youth. Unfortunately, very few of these have made any noticeable impacts at a national level.”

“It is now urgent for us—and I mean all of us—to learn from each other what types of programs work best, and then partner with others to replicate these programs, scale them up, and achieve substantial impact at the national and regional levels. We are proud to be working with IYF and others to bring together leading minds to innovate and find solutions that work,” he added.

IYF’s CEO Bill Reese said: “While facing great challenges, today’s Arab youth have the enormous potential to boost economic growth in their communities and across the region.  This event brings together the critical players, from every sector, who have the resources and expertise to ensure that potential is realized.”

“IYF looks forward to working with Silatech and many others to ensure millions more Arab youth have the skills and opportunities they need to find success in the workplace, build their own businesses, and contribute positively to society,” Reese added.

Silatech is a regional social initiative that works to expand economic opportunities for young people throughout the Arab world.

The International Youth Foundation (IYF) invests in the extraordinary potential of young people. Founded in 1990, IYF builds and maintains a worldwide community of businesses, governments, and civil society organizations committed to empowering youth. – TradeArabia News Service