GFP Thiqa Program in presence of youth from Al Salt, Al Karak

Generations For Peace (GFP) held the closing event for the Thiqa program at its headquarters in Al Hussein Youth City on Wednesday. The ceremony was attended by the program's participants as well as officials from the Greater Municipalities of Al Salt and Al Karak. The program included specialised training sessions on dialogue, policy analysis, and formulation. Workshops and follow-up sessions resulted in the development of two youth-led action plans, each plan featured actionable recommendations, created constructive communication spaces, and identified local partners to support the initiatives. During the closing ceremony, participants presented these action plans, which addressed the specific needs of youth in both municipalities. Al Balqa action plan focused on launching a fellowship program to ensure sustainable youth involvement in municipal work. This plan involves establishing a youth space within Al Salt municipality and raising awareness about municipal responsibilities. Meanwhile, Al Karak ac tion plan centered on developing the city's tourism sector, supporting various tourist attractions, and creating job opportunities for youth in the sector. GFP launched the Thiqa program in January with support from the Netherlands-based Porticus, in partnership with the Greater Municipalities of Al Salt and Al Karak.It included 36 youth leaders from various nationalities residing in Al Karak and Al Balqa governorates. Commenting on this milestone, Lama Al-Hattab, CEO of GFP, said: "At Generations For Peace, we utilise various peacebuilding tools, such as sport, arts, empowerment, advocacy, and media. For the Thiqa program, we employed dialogue as a peacebuilding tool, to build bridges of dialogue, interaction, and trust between officials, decision-makers, governmental entities, and youth representing their communities. We are proud of the work presented by the youth and the dedication of Al Karak and Al Salt municipal officials, as well as their positive engagement with the youth throughout the programme. We hope these plans will be implemented effectively and that the Thiqa programme has empowered both youth and government officials to foster collaboration and positive dialogue, inspiring them to build bridges of trust." Abdul Razaq Al-Khalifat, Director of Administrative Affairs at Al-Salt Municipality, stated that the implementation of the Thiqa Programme in Al-Salt Municipality was of great importance, as it provided the municipality with the opportunity to engage with youth from various nationalities within the municipalities. This enabled youth to acquire leadership and dialogue skills, enhancing their active role in their communities and enhancing their civic engagment. Meanwhile, Sajida Al-Ruhaifat, Executive Director of Greater Karak Municipality, highlighted that the most significant achievement of the Thiqa Programme was the establishment of a safe space for youth within the cultural centre affiliated with Greater Karak Municipality. She added that this accomplishment provided a nurturing environ ment for youth to express their ideas and aspirations. "It is not just a gathering place; it is a symbol of Karak Municipality's commitment to supporting youth and providing the tools that empower them to create real change in their communities." Source: Jordan News Agency