In a recent agreement between Education Above All (EAA) Foundation, Silatech, and UNICEF’s Generation Unlimited (GenU), a partnership has been formed to train and mobilize over 565,000 young people in Jordan, Lebanon, and Egypt. The aim of this three-year, US $33 million partnership is to empower young individuals to access education, tackle climate change, and become community volunteers and entrepreneurs driving sustainable development efforts. The announcement was made during the Summit of the Future at UNGA in response to urgent calls for a new consensus to address global challenges.
A high-level roundtable was convened to discuss strategies to provide educational and employment opportunities for youth through local partnerships that support their communities’ economies. The session, chaired by the Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations HE Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif Al Thani, featured participation from various ministers, representatives from the United Nations, and youth advocates. The discussion aimed to empower youth with the skills and resources needed to protect the environment and address climate change.
During the roundtable, CEO of the Education Above All Foundation, Fahad Al Sulaiti, highlighted the importance of collaborative efforts in providing quality education for children and empowering youth to develop green skills in real life. Silatech CEO Hassan Al Mulla emphasized the significance of investing in youth to ensure their readiness for the job market and the green economy for a sustainable future. The partnership aims to economically empower young people in the MENA region and drive positive change in their communities.
The Green Visions and Thriving Futures program recognizes the importance of equipping young people with green skills to drive the green transition towards a net-zero and climate-resilient future. UNICEF’s Generation Unlimited CEO, Kevin Frey, emphasized the need for global public-private-youth cooperation to provide young people with access to green opportunities at scale. The new program aims to support thousands of young people across Jordan, Lebanon, and Egypt in greening actions to protect biodiversity, manage waste, and conserve water in local communities.
With a focus on connecting young people to opportunities in the green economy, the partnership aims to empower the next generation to confront the challenges of the climate crisis. By linking environmental sustainability with job creation, the initiative demonstrates that economic development and climate adaptation can work hand in hand, creating a foundation for a world that thrives both economically and environmentally. This partnership builds on the longstanding collaboration between UNICEF and EAA Foundation, which has already impacted millions of children’s access to education.
Silatech’s support for UNICEF began in 2022 as the main strategic partner of the One Million Opportunities initiative, providing vulnerable young people in Brazil with access to skills development and decent livelihoods. The new partnership with EAA and GenU aims to extend this support to young people in the MENA region, preparing them for the challenges and opportunities of tomorrow. By investing in youth and empowering them to make a difference in their communities, the partnership is setting a foundation for sustainable development and a thriving future for generations to come.
