Amman: The Crown Prince Foundation (CPF) on Wednesday brought the curtain down on a three-year flagship democracy and advocacy capacity-building program targeting college students.
The “Ana Usharek” (I Participate) extracurricular program was carried out in 13 universities and colleges throughout the Kingdom in collaboration with the US-based National Democratic Institute (NDI) and was funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
The program’s main goals centered on bolstering participants’ capacities for active civic engagement, and social action among young people.
Training and interactive dialogue sessions were offered through the program to help participants learn about and internalize democratic principles, acquire skills for participating in political life and policymaking, and grow in their sense of civic responsibility.
More than 17,000 men and women have been trained through the “Ana Usharek” program over the past three years, according to a press release from the CPF.
“We worked with partners to provide interactive training and dialogue sessions that strengthened democratic concepts and values among young men and women and gave them the information they need to participate in political activity, make decisions, and cultivate a sense of citizenship”, said Tamam Mango, CEO of the CPF.
She added that the program promoted youth political engagement and backed the nation’s political reform drive, to which His Highness Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II, the Crown Prince, directed that special attention be paid.
In the same vein, Lyla Bashan, Deputy Director, Democracy, Rights and Governance Office at USAID, stated that USAID prioritizes programs to foster youth participation in political life given their significant contribution to Jordan’s political modernization process.
According to Nvart Taminian, the director of the Youth and PWD program at the NDI, the program has been successful in providing a space for diversity and difference thanks to the efforts of a professional team, which is in line with the goals of His Majesty the King, the initiatives of the governments of Jordan, and the hopes of the Jordanian people.
“After years of work, we were able to assist thousands of young men and women in achieving their objectives. As a result, we now see groups of driven young men leading youth groups in the governorates that are engaged in volunteer and youth work to effect real change”, she added.
Source: Jordan News Agency