Muslim delegations adopt "Tunis Pact" to promote education

2008-12-01

The "Tunis Pact", which promotes better education and future for young Muslims, was adopted last week at the International Conference on Youth Issues in the Islamic World.

By Mona Yahia for Magharebia in Tunis – 01/12/08

[Mona Yahia] Tunisian Youth Minister Samir Abidi (left) and ISESCO Director-General Abdelaziz Outman Touijri attend the International Conference on Youth Issues in the Islamic World.

Leaders from Muslim countries and civil society organisations adopted a new pact on Wednesday (November 26th) in Tunis to promote the rights of youth and to advocate a better role for them in society.

The "Tunis Pact" was proposed at the International Conference on Youth Issues in the Islamic World: Present Stakes and Future Challenges, which was held on November 24th-26th in Tunis.

"The Tunis Pact to promote youth and enhance their status in the Islamic World," said Tunisian Prime Minister Mohammed Ghannouchi in his closing remarks, "underscores solid determination to upgrade youth conditions and boost their abilities and powers and ensure their active contribution in enhancing the participation of Muslim states within the drive of human civilisation, based on values that hinge on dialog among cultures and religions, co-existence and accord within cultural diversity."

Delegations from more than 30 Muslim countries and 25 regional and international organisations concerned with the youth sector took part in the conference, organised by the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (ISESCO). Some 200 young Muslims also attended the sessions.

The conference urged Muslim states to reinforce human values and the character of youth in Muslim societies. Participants said that youth should be encouraged to adopt values of tolerance, moderation and respect for others.

In a statement, Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali suggested that the year 2010 be an international year for youth. He proposed to reconvene in 2010 and invited the United Nations and other international organisations to hold another international youth conference in Tunis.

The "Tunis Pact" also calls for the promotion of the conditions of young people in the Islamic world through education and providing job opportunities to facilitate the youth's integration in society.

Monji Bou Snina, who attended the conference, stressed "the importance of comprehensive educational reform which qualifies youth to join the labour market and integrate in society."

"Equally important," she continued, "is the role of political institutions and civil society institutions, as well as schools in granting youth a chance to train in political and communal participation."

Chedli Klibi, former Secretary-General of the Arab League, called for involving youth in social development, assigning communal responsibilities to them and helping them to understand the principles of Islam.

"Those calls are not much different from the recommendations of the Youth Pact in Tunis that was recently adopted," commented Sihem Ajimi, 30, "since it focuses more on aspects that the present-day world is interested in, like the dialog of civilisations and religions and relinquishing violence. I do not think that would be possible without the media and presenting a different image of Islam."

"I hope these calls will not turn into mere slogans," said May Zaidi. "We want them to turn into action, to grant youth a bigger chance to engage in dialog and to participate in political and cultural life, create job opportunities, and maintain fair distribution of wealth so that young people do not feel excluded."