UNDP supports King Hamad Youth Empowerment Award

TDT | Manama

UN Development Programme (UNDP) resident representative to Bahrain Stefano Pettinato, affirmed the UNDP’s keenness to cooperate with the Youth and Sports Affairs Ministry to support the King Hamad Youth Empowerment Award to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals initiative.

He said that the UNDP will always be supportive of youth-related initiatives and projects around the world, especially a leading international initiative like the King Hamad Award. “The award does not only promote sustainable development goals, but it also clearly and tangibly embodies cooperation between the UN agencies, as UN officials are juries of the primary award selection,” Pettinato said.

The UN representative explained that what distinguishes this year’s edition is the new dimensions imposed by the pandemic, which require to review the award creatively since the world now is working on finding solutions and flexible practices to preserve the well-being of humans along with sustainable development goals.

The award includes two categories, the youth category which will be open for individuals aged 15 to 29 years old, youth-led entities, and youth-focused entities’ applications. This category will be awarded five prizes for five key aspects of sustainable development: people, prosperity, planet, peace and partnership.

The second is the youth supporter category, which will be open for the following sectors: government and public sector, private sector, non-governmental organisations, and media. A first-of-its-kind, the global award comes as an expression of the firm faith of HM the King in young people’s potential to lead their countries and the world towards a better-shared future of peace and prosperity, for all people on a healthy and renewable planet, as envisioned by the world’s most ambitious plan to transform our world—The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The award recognises young people’s endeavours to be effective and productive citizens, contributing to the welfare of their communities and environment, as well as institutions that improve the enabling environment and infrastructure for youth to make an impact, in all UN member states.

At the national level, the Kingdom prioritises pioneering initiatives that help youth enhance their capabilities— through training, skill-building, and experience-exchange, expand their opportunities to choose a future that they desire and contribute to the welfare of their community.