Youth for Impact

Political science senior Ibrahim Elsharkawy was part of the official delegation representing Egypt at the High-Level Global Forum on Youth Peace and Security in Amman, Jordan. Elsharkawy contributed his original ideas and initiatives to the forum, where he advocated for youth as "champions of peace" and called for the introduction of peace education into schools.

“I was representing youth who are my age, and I felt that I was voicing their concerns to leaders from across the region..” 

The forum discussed an Arab strategy for youth peace and security, built upon the official agenda launched by the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2250 in 2015, which promotes youth participation in peacemaking. The resolution, and now the forum, has five main pillars: participation, protection prevention, partnerships, disengagement and reintegration. 

Elsharkawy shared his recommendations to help curate the forum’s final strategy. One of his suggestions was to create youth councils in member states to enable youth participation in decision-making processes. The significance of this goal, according to Elsharkawy, is to allow for intergenerational dialogue. The forum discussed another of his ideas: disengaging youth from armed groups and reintegrating them back into society.

“I was representing youth who are my age, and I felt that I was voicing their concerns to leaders from across the region,” said Elsharkawy, who hopes to become a diplomat after he graduates.  “I was able to put the skills I learned throughout my years at AUC to good use and fend for those who cannot fend for themselves.” 

In addition to these contributions, Elsharkawy focused his speech on the need to “shift the narrative from perceiving youth as agents of chaos to champions of peace.” His emphasis on peace education, among his other initiatives, is a strong way to “raise a generation that is more tolerant and peaceful with each other in the future.”

"I was able to put the skills I learned throughout my years at AUC to good use and fend for those who cannot fend for themselves."

The forum was held under the patronage of His Royal Highness Crown Prince of Jordan Hussein bin Abdullah and the League of Arab States. Elsharkawy was part of the official Egyptian delegation headed by Egypt’s Minister of Youth and Sports, Ashraf Sobhy.