Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum urges support for young leaders

By Handan Kazanci

ISTANBUL (AA) – A group uniting Muslim youth groups in Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member states and other countries worldwide on Wednesday called for additional support for young leaders working for their communities, countries, and Islam.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum's (ICYF) 4th General Assembly, held in the Turkish metropolis Istanbul, Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Yavuz Selim Kiran said that more and more young Muslim leaders are playing pioneering roles in their countries in every aspect of life.

"This forum is well-placed to serve as a platform for the voice of young Muslim leaders to be heard," Kiran said, attending the two-day event virtually. "An example is the Palestinian cause."

"One alarming issue that Muslim youth need to remain responsive to is the rising trend of hatred against Muslims and xenophobia all over the world," he added.

Kiran said that Turkey plays a leading role in international efforts to combat Islamophobia.

"Our President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu are vocal advocates of the fight against this menace," he said.

"As the largest platform bringing the Muslim world together, the OIC has a key part in acting against anti-Islamic rhetoric," he added.

Kiran also highlighted the importance of the OIC’s designation of March 15 as the International Day to Combat Islamophobia.

Comprehensive reports from the OIC are also valuable references for demonstrating the scope of anti-Muslim acts around the world, he added.

- Combating Islamophobia

Pointing to the youth forum's "distinct role in promoting a culture of peaceful coexistence among the youth and thereby combating Islamophobia," Kiran said: "I would like to reiterate our congratulations to the ICYF (forum) for taking the initiative of ‘Youth Global Action Countering Islamophobia’ and express Turkey's readiness to cooperate to this end."

On recent developments in Afghanistan after the Taliban took control of the capital Kabul and most of the country, Kiran said that Turkey "is doing its utmost to help our Afghan sisters and brothers."

The world "should focus on immediate priorities in Afghanistan," he said. "These should include calming down the situation on the ground and facilitation of safe evacuations."

"In cooperation with our partners, including our brothers from Azerbaijan and Pakistan, we have already evacuated more than 1,400 people from Kabul," he said.

​​​​​​​"A smooth and peaceful transfer of power with the establishment of an inclusive government representing all sectors of society will hold the key to stability in Afghanistan," he argued.

On Turkey's humanitarian efforts, Kiran said: "In addition to being the largest refugee-hosting country in the world, Turkey is proudly the world leader in terms of the total amount of humanitarian aid in proportion to GDP."

Kiran also stressed the importance of the international community "urgently stepping up efforts to avert a humanitarian crisis in our wider region."

"Islam requires us to show solidarity with the Ummah (Muslim community), particularly at difficult times," he added.

For his part, Turkey's Deputy Youth and Sports Minister Ihsan Selim Baydas said that any "initiatives for the unity of the Islamic world will create a strong foundation for future generations."

The forum, Baydas said, "is an important cooperation platform for the member states of the OIC with the potential it promises in the field of youth."

Turkey will continue its support to the forum "in the strongest way, as always," he added.

- Promoting positive role for youth

Taha Ayhan, head of the Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum (ICYF), said the meeting was "a very special gathering."

"We also have with us many distinguished young people joining us live from all across the globe; young individuals who try to leave a positive impact in the lives of their communities and shape the future with knowledge, wisdom, and determination," Ayhan added.

At the forum, he added, participants “focus on the positive role of youth in building and developing their communities and in making positive contributions to prosperity, harmony, respect, diversity, and rights."

Stressing the need to address issues of social cohesion and the welfare of communities and resolve the many problems of misunderstanding and exclusion, Ayhan said that they work closely with strategic partners to support and promote the positive role of youth in economic, social, cultural, and political processes and also to enhance the role of Muslim communities as allies in the peacemaking and the prosperity of communities.

The forum “continues to connect and impact youth around the globe; primarily through its international outreach, as shown in a total of 123,482 youth who applied to join our current projects, in addition to a total of 13,508 eligible youth selected for ICYF (forum) initiatives and who were awarded certificates of recognition and participation," he added.

For her part, Néné Fatoumata Tall, the youth minister for Senegal, urged everyone to attend the World Water Forum next March in Dakar, the capital of the West African nation.

Zahid Ahsan Russel, Bangladesh's youth and sports minister, also attended the event via video conference.

Noting that the youth in Bangladesh make up one-third of the country's total population, Russell called them “the leaders of tomorrow, but also the partners of today."

Also speaking at the event were Farhad Hajiyev, Azerbaijan's deputy youth and sports minister, Fathallah Abd al-Latif Al-Zuni, Libya's youth and sports minister; and Bakary Badjiye, Gambia's youth and sports minister.

During its assembly this week in Istanbul, representatives from 56 member countries will discuss the forum's Islamic cooperation youth strategy, youth development, economic empowerment, culture, arts, sports, networking, and environmental issues.

Statistics and conclusions about the projects developed in these areas will be shared with the members.

Founded in 2004 in Baku, Azerbaijan, the Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum is an international, non-commercial, non-partisan organization uniting leading umbrella youth organizations from the member states of the OIC as well as international youth organizations representing Muslim minorities worldwide.