Participants debate issues during a Young Global Leaders Forum session

Making their Case for Democratic Change

Building on its success last year, the Young Global Leaders Forum is bringing together a fresh group of Arab and American activists eager to turn their good ideas into concrete actions.  

“So far participants have developed and ratified 35 innovative policy recommendations to present to the U.S. Government, regional governments, and non-governmental organizations,” said David DeBartolo of the Project on Middle East Democracy (POMED) , following a May 2-3 conference in Cairo, Egypt, which drew 47 Egyptian and American participants, ages 18-28. 

This conference was the second in a series – the first was held April 25-26 in Rabat, Morocco; the third is planned for May 29-31 in Amman,  Jordan – organized by POMED and its partner Americans for Informed Democracy (AID), along with key local institutes in each of the three host countries as part of a MEPI-funded Local Grants project.

In addition to assembling students, journalists, young professionals, and other emerging leaders from Arab countries and the United States to listen to speakers and discuss  mutual areas of interest and concern, each forum elects two representatives who will visit Washington, DC, in July to advocate for the policy recommendations.  (read more)