ISTANBUL (ICYF) – ICYF President Taha AYHAN addressed the international delegations and diplomats and gave a speech on the last day of OIC Red Network.

In the session named as “The Present Problems and Challenges Faced by Youth and Volunteers in the OIC Region”, H.E. AYHAN shared the in-depth perspectives of ICYF in terms of youth and volunteerism.

H.E. AYHAN tackled important issues facing youth and volunteers in the OIC Geography by mentioning challenges youth are facing in terms of education and training, employment and entrepreneurship, cultural and value change, political and civil participation, and health and mental health by referring the findings of the 1st Report on State of Youth in OIC Member States. He stated that the potential solutions are found in the policy options advanced in the OIC Youth Strategy. Regarding that, he urged OIC Member States and relevant institutions to ensure timely and appropriate implementation of such strategy, which was adopted at the 4th ICYSM held in Baku, Azerbaijan, in April 2018.

Regarding volunteerism, the ICYF President pointed out that his institution was closely working with the Ministry of Youth and Sports of the Republic of Turkey and other Ministries from over all the world towards launching “OIC Countries Young Volunteers Movement (OIC YVM)” within the current year of 2019. At later stage, a conference on the subject is to be held with the aim of drafting Volunteers Strategy in OIC Geography.

H.E. AYHAN concluded his addressing by showing readiness of ICYF to cooperate with all concerned towards improving the humanitarian situation of the main victims of man-made and natural catastrophies, which is the youth.

At this session, H.E AYHAN was companied by other panelists; Mr. Nabil Sidikov, the director of Youth of the Tajikistan Red Crescent, Mr. Liaqatullah Ihlas, the Director of Youth of the Afghan Red Crescent, Mr. Emre Koç, President of Türk Kızılay Youth, and Mr. Samiullah Abbasi, the director of Youth of the Pakistan Red Crescent.

The establishment of OIC Red Network is an implementation of relevant goal of the OIC 2025 Program of Action.

ICYF Media Department