09/08/1998

At the outset I would like to congratulate you Mr. President on your election to the Presidency of this important conference. I trust your vast experience, wisdom, knowledge and tremendous efforts will lead this conference to a successful conclusion, and ensure the adoption of recommendations that reflect positively on youth policies, and their aspirations for a better future.

I would also like to express my gratitude for the active role played by the friendly Government of Portugal and its Secretary of State Responsible for Youth, His Excellency Mr. Miguel Fontes, in co-hosting this conference and providing the venue for us to meet and discuss youth issues that are vital to us all.

I appreciate and value the tremendous role made by the United Nations and the Secretary General for their coopereation in preparing for this conference, developing its idea, and following up on its activities. I would also like to applaud the United Nations Division for Social Policy and Development on Youth and all other parties contributing to the success of this conference.

It is my pleasure to participate with my delegation in this conference, which is held at an important juncture as we approach the twenty first century, to address a subject of utmost importance—Youth and Youth issues. It is a subject of concern to all of us: member states, organizations and institutions participating in this conference. Interest in youth means interest in the future—the future of our children and grand children.

His Majesty King Hussein, the government, and people of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, convey to all of you warm wishes of success, and express their appreciation for your good efforts. It is the hope of Jordan’s youth that this conference will bring concrete steps to improve youth’s conditions all over the world.

Jordan’s leadership is firmly committed to boost the youth, support them, and meet their needs. It also endeavors to emphasize their role, to care for their future and well being, and to strengthen their resolve and determination to utilize their creative and innovative energies.

Under His Majesty’s guidance, Jordan has been able to make significant achievements in youth development programmes that are not only based on advice and guidance, but also on actions that translate them into training programmes carried out through operational activities.

In Jordan, youth are the backbone of the social structure and an indicator of both the state and society’s ability to direct and utilize the present in forecasting future prospects. We believe our youth are the driving force behind any development process aiming at social progress.

The Jordanian society is a young one with about 75% of the total population below 35 years of age. Consequently, it is necessary and important for us to look after this large segment of our society, to care for them, and to channel their energies and abilities toward serving and developing society.

The Ministry of Youth was established through legislation and regulations that met the needs of the Jordanian youth and sports movement. Utmost care is taken to develop and amend these regulations, as required by the public interest, in an institutional framework.

The Ministry institutes policies and programmes to mobilize the energies of our youth and qualify them to shoulder future responsibility. These programmes include: addressing and listening to our youth, promising leadership, increasing their awareness of human rights, and conflict resolution through dialogue and non-violence.

In the youth sector, we established youth centers for young women and young men across Jordan, that are designed to play an essential role in educating and developing them physically and mentally.

Recognizing the need to think globally and build bridges of friendship, the Ministry of Youth programmed annual youth activities through holding different summer youth programmes with participants from several countries, in addition to international boy scouts’ and girl guides’ camps.

We also welcomed in the Gulf of Aqaba, last February, the "World Youth Ship" that carried delegations from 14 countries such as Japan, Spain, France, Argentina, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and other Arab and friendly countries. Tours and cultural trips were organized for them and discussions were held on world peace issues and topics of concern to youth such as: Health; Poverty; and Education.

Flowing from its philosophy and strategy for the sports sector, the Government of Jordan works diligently to occupy and invest the youth’s free time in sport activities that are beneficial physically, mentally and intellectually. It is through such activities we can help prevent youth from falling into the dangers of illicit drug use and other practices that are harmful to them and their society.

The Jordan Olympic Committee, national sports federations, and individual clubs, organize annual championships, national, regional, and international tournaments and select members to Jordan’s national sport teams. In order to accommodate these activities, we strengthened the necessary infrastructure by building, across the Kingdom, comprehensive and modern sports cities, complexes, youth hostels, and stadiums that meet international and Olympic standards.

Mr. President,

Authorities concerned with youth must draw attention to the propagation of the concept sports for all among the youth of the world, by supporting and promoting this form of activity through local, national, regional and global initiatives. This will facilitate the use of physical education and sports activities, and the infusion of ethical values embodied in sports.

We recognize the need for world youth to learn how to think critically, and to make the right decisions, by giving them intellectual freedom. We also stress the importance of democracy as a pillar of society, human relations, and the exchange of information on youth issues. In addition, we realize their need for the transfer of technology related to youth, to security, and for protection from poverty, ignorance, diseases and discrimination against individuals and groups.

Authorities dealing with youth action must, therefore, develop formulas for cooperation, participation, integration and coordination in a comprehensive and balanced framework. Adults and authorities dealing with our youth, must set a good example for youth to follow. Adults must make participation, cooperation, development, and the propagation of peace culture their motto and translate it into positive conduct, values and directions. From this perspective, we support the United Nation’s proposal to declare the year 2000 as the International Year for the Culture of Peace.

I am quite certain that there is a need for us to think globally and act locally to produce a package of quality youth programmes, that help them face the challenges of

the coming century with reason, awareness and competence. In addition, these programmes must work to keep youth away from hostile conduct, narcotic drugs

and intoxication. The problem of narcotics and drug trafficking has become a danger, threatening not only a limited number of countries, but also human society as a whole. Until now, the efforts of human society in combating drug abuse have not succeeded in reducing its impact on the life of people in general and youth in particular.

From this perspective, respecting human life; sharing the mutual responsibility of protecting the human environment; and recognizing human dignity, value and health, are principles that are very precious to all of us and should receive our utmost attention and protection.

Mr. President,

I would like to conclude my statement by calling for a comprehensive review of our previous efforts, both as institutions and individuals, in the area of promoting the role of youth in participation, development and peace. The aim of such a review would be to evaluate our achievements and to look into weaknesses and failures as well as our successes, in order to enhance successes and eliminate any failures. Such a review, in addition, would allow us the opportunity to study new ideas, strategies and programmes that can promote the youth’s quality of life.

The ultimate goal is to reach an acceptable formula that would help all of us in our current and future efforts to bridge the gap between reality and aspirations. This can be done through translating the objectives of this conference into practical actions--the positive impact and results of which will be felt by youth in their daily life.

Let us all endeavor to harmonize all proposals and programmes in the interest of mankind’s well being—an objective that we all seek. Let this conference be a landmark, personifying our great hopes for activating youth programmes world wide, championing youth causes and providing scientific and practical solutions for their problems and meeting their needs within the means available to respective countries.

I take this opportunity to call on the organs of the United Nations dealing with youth, as well as governments and institutions, to establish new mechanisms and programmes, and to formulate creative policies to serve the youth through:

1. Intensifying interaction amongst youth of the world to provide them an opportunity to expand their horizons, appreciate other cultures, respect views different from their own, and gain new experiences.

1. Promoting their knowledge, training skills, and attitudes particularly in the fields of employment, education, culture, and health.

1. Facilitating their access to information on topics of relevance to them through strengthening communication networks and data exchange between all countries and institutions.

I wish this conference all success… knowing, that youth all over the world follow the outcome with great expectations to fulfill their legitimate aspirations and ambitions. It is my sincerest hope… that we rise to the level of challenges set by the world’s youth, fulfill their goals, and produce concrete recommendations.

I thank you all.