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A declaration was adopted at the end of the conference

capturing the key features of an agenda in this area for future

implementation by the involved partner organizations,

networks and associations.

Aims and challenges

In a world of globalization and inequality, which is simultane-

ously bringing people closer together and widening the divisions

between them, listening to the voices of youth and engaging

them in development processes has become a necessity. Today,

youth everywhere demand inclusiveness, empowerment, pros-

perity and sustainability with a hitherto unknown intensity.

Geographic and cultural borders have become more porous,

leading to unprecedented encounters, exchanges and ‘togeth-

erness’, and making instant connectivity a reality in many

parts of the world through information and communication

technology (ICT). Indeed, the advances in technology and

innovation have radically changed the ways of communicat-

ing, networking, learning and participating as national and

global citizens, and young people are at the centre of these

new trends and developments.

Volunteering is one of the most basic expressions of human

behaviour and arises out of long-established ancient tradi-

tions of sharing and reciprocal exchanges. At its core are

relationships and their potential to enhance the well-being of

individuals and communities. There is evidence that volun-

teering promotes social cohesion and trust. Volunteering is

not only the backbone of civil society organizations and social

and political movements, but also of many health, education,

housing and environmental programmes, and a range of other

civil society, public and private sector programmes world-

wide. It is an integral part of every society.

The following objectives were defined for the conference:

• explore the channels of youth volunteering and

the related creative potential of young people as a

constructive force leading to social inclusivity, tolerance

and new forms of youth leadership

• chart future avenues that satisfy the aspirations and

needs of young people enabling them to grow with

opportunities that foster hope, success and feelings of

belonging/citizenship

• define new pathways for youth volunteering to foster

dialogue among cultures including through the use of the

Internet and social media

• expand the multi-stakeholder partnerships to include

foundations, non-governmental organizations, existing

volunteer associations and networks, and the private

sector – thus giving further impetus to the process.

The conference

“In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, young people represent the

largest percentage of the population and we are firmly convinced

that it is they who will make the future. We shall grant them

further opportunities to highlight their talents and capabilities.”

With these words, HRH Prince Faisal bin Abdullah Al Saud,

Minister of Education, greeted the many participants in the

Jeddah Conference in his welcome statement.

The Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, also

welcomed the many youth volunteers and stated that: “You

The Jeddah Youth Declaration

We, the youth gathered at the International Youth Conference on

Volunteering and Dialogue in Jeddah, organized by the Ministry of

Education of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the KACND and UNESCO,

within the framework of the Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz International

Programme for a Culture of Peace and Dialogue, adopt the following

declaration on this International Volunteer Day (5 December):

We sincerely appreciate the efforts of the hosts and organizers of

this conference to make the voices of the world’s youth heard in

global forums, to bring our messages across and to allow us to take

part in platforms in which we can connect and exchange our views.

We are concerned by the current multiple crises which compromise our

chances as future leaders to make the world better than we found it.

We recognize that volunteering and dialogue, which are guided

by our shared aspiration to unite people around common causes,

generate mutual benefits and transform the lives of all those

involved in this process.

We firmly believe that dialogue is the catalyst for enabling lasting

cooperation, promoting the sharing of experiences, and fostering

solidarity within and among communities, cultures, faiths,

generations and nations.

We pledge to integrate dialogue at all levels of volunteering, as

fuel for creative change.

We applaud young volunteers for their ongoing contributions

to efforts benefiting communities worldwide, in areas such as

humanitarian or peacebuilding initiatives, heritage conservation,

post-conflict/disaster assistance, environmental protection,

health-related programmes, the full inclusion of persons with

disabilities, entrepreneurship; and therefore call upon all relevant

stakeholders to support and promote these efforts.

We endeavour to work with the world’s leading organizations

for youth with the aim of establishing sustainable partnerships

benefitting young volunteers, and promoting a culture of dialogue

and mutual understanding.

We affirm the need to cultivate an ethos for volunteering and

dialogue rooted in solidarity, empathy, self-confidence, critical

thinking, respect and appreciation for diversity (especially to break

prejudices and cultural stereotypes), the spirit of initiative and

teamwork, disinterested action, patience, perseverance, the art of

listening, and meaningful participation and recognition.

We express our concern about the gap between ideas and their

implementation, and believe that this gap can be bridged by a

joint, networked, upstream and community-based sustainable

effort of all involved.

We reaffirm our commitment to creating open, welcoming spaces

to improve the exchange of experiences, and to establish new

forms for sharing mutual learning, youth civic engagement

and intercultural dialogue – all the while avoiding the risk of

systematic framing and standardization.

We urge governments, local authorities, the private sector as

well as global and regional organizations such as United Nations

entities, ISESCO and ALECSO, to integrate volunteering and

dialogue as critical components of youth development, both

personal and professional, and to create an enabling environment

and platforms in which youth volunteering can flourish.

We commit to building on the experiences shared by all the

organizations present in this conference, including the United Nations

Volunteers programme, the World Organization of the Scout Movement

and the Coordinating Committee for International Voluntary Service,

and the messages contained in this declaration to increase the number

of young men and women engaged in volunteering globally.

We commit to sharing the contents of this declaration with our

current and extended networks, and to harness social media in

our efforts to foster global, active and responsible citizenship.

We call upon the youth of the world to join us in our endeavour.

gree

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