Senate President Faisal Fayez has stressed that His Majesty King Abdullah II attaches great importance to Jordanian young men and women, out of His Majesty’s belief in their ability to bring about positive change and build a Jordan capable of overcoming challenges. Youth, he said, are the pillar of the nation, its present and future, the hallmark of a strong and pioneering society, and the catalyst of comprehensive development.
Fayez made the remarks on Sunday at the Senate, as he lent patronage to the graduation ceremony of the sixth cycle of the Parliamentary Fellowship Project, implemented by the King Abdullah II Fund for Development in partnership with the Parliament. Chairman of the KAFD’s Board of Trustees H.E. Engineer Haditha Khreisha attended the event.
The ceremony reflects a continued national commitment to empowering youth and strengthening their role in political life, in line with the Kingdom’s political modernization trajectory.
Al-Fayez said that His Majesty the King, in his address to Jordanians on the occasion of the Kingdom’s 76th Independence Day, underlined the importance of youth’s role in building Jordan’s future, stressing the need to meet their aspirations and enhance their participation in public life. He quoted His Majesty as saying: “The new Jordan will belong to the younger generations. They will chart the path forward, with their strong determination and knowledge, and their openness to the future.” Accordingly, Al-Fayez added, there is a clear political decision to activate the role of youth and empower them politically, economically and socially, enabling them to become partners in shaping their own future and that of their country.
The Senate President emphasized that empowering youth and translating into action the attention His Majesty attaches to them requires supporting young people, and building youth leaders capable of bringing about change. This goal, he said, can be achieved by increasing their awareness of national issues and challenges, and enhancing their participation in public life through programs, initiatives, and policies aimed at integrating them into society so that they become a force that dedicates its capabilities to serving the homeland and its Hashemite leadership. He also stressed the importance of supporting their initiatives and removing the obstacles that hinder their participation across economic, political and social spheres. He noted that the youth sector represents the key to political reform and comprehensive development.
He added: “I realize that our youth face major challenges, most notably difficult living and economic conditions, and uncertainty about the future in light of the current conditions facing our nation, in addition to issues related to social justice and the spread of terrorism, extremism, drugs and hate speech.” He stressed the need to reconsider previous policies on youth, and to work on developing new strategies that speak to young people in the language of the times, help them move forward, embrace their creativity, engage with their ideas with an open mind, and encourage them to believe in the future, away from despair, frustration and alienation.
Al-Fayez pointed out that addressing youth issues is a shared responsibility. He called upon official and civil institutions to assume their role and tackle the challenges facing youth by opening new horizons for them, with the aim of building Jordanian youth who are aware of themselves and their capabilities, and who are active participants in the development of their country; youth who are able to deal with changes with insight, openness and a high sense of national responsibility.
He congratulated all graduates of the Parliamentary Fellowship Project, wishing them success in their professional lives. He said: “I hope that the Fellowship project with Parliament has achieved the intended benefit for the graduates, contributed to developing their skills, and provided you with practical experience that enables you to integrate into the labor market.”
He also commended the significant efforts exerted by KAFD, and the work done by Chairman Khreisha, Director General Dr. Samer Mifleh, and all the KAFD’s staff, in serving Jordanian youth and selecting quality programs that enable them to acquire the necessary skills through practical training and be prepared for public service.
For his part, Dr. Mifleh affirmed during the ceremony that the political modernization process, led by His Majesty King Abdullah II, constitutes a comprehensive national path aimed at building a modern political system capable of responding to future transformations and challenges. He noted that the KAFD has embarked on implementing a set of programs and projects that support the outcomes of the modernization blueprint, stemming from the KAFD’s role as an institutional umbrella supporting national efforts across various fields.
Al-Mifleh noted that the KAFD places youth empowerment at the core of its mandate, tagging it as a national priority that contributes to enhancing participation in public life and producing a moderate national discourse capable of addressing challenges. This, he said, helps prepare youth leaders who are able to make an impact and take part in building the future.
It is worth noting that the Parliamentary Fellowship Project is part of the KAFD’s programs aimed at integrating youth into political life by providing them with the opportunity to serve as research assistants to Members of Parliament. In this capacity, they undertake research and prepare information and supporting studies on draft laws or issues under discussion. In the process, their awareness of the legislative and oversight role of Parliament is enhanced.
The King Abdullah II Fund for Development had launched the first phase of the sixth cycle of the “Parliamentary Fellowship” project in conjunction with the start of the ordinary session of Parliament. The phase included specialized theoretical training in political communication skills, political media, political analysis and parliamentary work, in addition to drafting policy papers and party platforms, and participating in political debates.
During the current cycle, the project was developed to include the Senate, as part of an expansion plan. A new selection mechanism was also introduced, whereby 30 percent of participants are members of political parties.
At the end of the ceremony, Al-Fayez presented certificates to the graduates. A total of 45 young men and women from various governorates took part in this cycle, whose phases extended over six months: two months for the theoretical training and four months for the practical phase. Participants were given the opportunity to learn about the legislative and oversight role of the Lower House and enhance their participation in public life.