It gives me great pleasure to start by expressing my deep thanks and appreciation to the government of the Republic of Portugal for hosting the 1 st World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth, Also, my consideration goes to its efforts exerted in co-operation with the concerned bodies of the United Nations.

It is a great honour for me to convey to the esteemed conference a message of greetings and appreciation from H.H. The Emir of The State of Qatar together with his best wishes of

success in dealing with the different matters related to Youth in order to lay down the foundations and future plans through our approach to Youth issues on the agenda of the Conference.

Your Excellency Mr. President

Ladies & Gentlemen

You may agree with me that this Conference has a special importance as we approach the twenty first century with all its challenges, developments as well as youth prospectives, as today's youth are tomorrow's leaders signifies that the fruits of our conference are in real fact a preparation for future generations

Although it might sound a repetition to say that the world is now a global village, yet it is a reality that calls for an approach to youth issues with a global collective vision as far as education, health, employment and participation in the comprehensive development of the societies are concerned.

Undoubtedly, youth stands for the most important element of human wealth. Hence, each nation depends on its youth to realize its aims, ambitions and development programmes on all the cultural, social and economic levels.

As the World Programme of Action for Youth to the Year 2000 and Beyond specifies various issues which created obstacles before youth, yet there is a great hope that this Conference will contribute to find ways to overcome these obstacles in order to help our sons to carry on what we can lay down as a continuation to life and human development.

Your Excellency Mr. President

Distinguished Delegates Ladies &

Gentlemen

Our future visions and prospectives demand not to forget yesterday's experience and achievements in order to created a better future. Any future vision must not jump the past nor the present with all its dimensions. Therefore, the Youth and Sports General Authority of the State of Qatar has laid down its strategy for Youth work specifying its route and aims for the future.

I'd like to specify certain facts before the Conference about the different countries efforts in their work for Youth.

First: Governments exert fruitful efforts for the benefit of youth that could be taken into consideration when putting future plans.

Second: These efforts require a clear and defined international strategy that help in paving the way to achieve its ends, on the one hand, as well as monitoring and evaluation it, on the other.

Third: Mostly youth bodies and organizations even in one country do not work hand in hand.

Fourth: Some of these bodies and organizations pay their attention, in most cases, to one field of interest.

Fifth: For one reason or another these bodies and organizations could not attract youth to participate in the different development plans.

Sixth: Some of those working in youth organizations, unfortunately, lack a clear vision of youth issues.

Seventh Some of them work on voluntary basis others as full time job.

Your Excellency Mr. President

Distinguished Delegates Ladies &

Gentlemen

This calls upon us some time for reflection so as to proceed towards a new approach with clearer vision to achieve our noble aims and targets. Our prospectives could be achieved within a framework of a comprehensive world strategy for youth characterized by specified definition as well as the prospects of implementation.however, it could be a lighthouse for all youth organizations in all countries

In conclusion, this is what we foresee in Lisbon Declaration as a framework for the different countries to agree on specified concepts as far as their youth policies are concerned as well as chalking out successful plans for their rising generations to come.