SYRIA HOLDS INTERNATIONAL YOUTH CONFERENCE
Damascus, 24 Sha’ban 1434/2 July 2013 (MINA) – With the participation of 41 youth organizations from 13 Arab countries, the Nationalist Arab Youth Conference kicked off on Monday (1/7) at Homs province, Syria.
Governor of Homs, Ahmad Munir Mohamad, stressed the importance of this conference which gathered the Arab youths on the Syrian territories in particular, which has suffered from civil war, SANA reported as monitored by Mi’raj News Agency (MINA).
He underscored the importance of revitalizing the nation by nationalism and by organizing popular youth activities with the aim of “reaching a state of youths capable of having influence on the Arab societies.”
The Governor called on the participants to set a vision for establishing a forum for nationalist Arab youths, expressing the readiness of the governorate to host this forum which will form the nucleus for a “genuine Arab league” that considers the demands of the society.
“The whole world must know that we are all for Syria and we will stand by Syria just as it stood by the Arabs and defended their rights and interests,” the Arab youth delegations said in a speech delivered by Derar Bustanji from Jordan.
Bustanji pointed out that what is going on in Syria is a “concerted conspiracy” to destroy the land of Arabism and resistance.
Speaking on behalf of the Resistant Youth, Sudaif Hamada, from Lebanon, said “Today we are in the heart of resistance and Arabism witnessing the victory being achieved by all Syrian.”
The conference will last for three days and it includes youth meetings and symposia, in addition to visiting families of the martyrs and some neighborhoods in Homs city.
Delegations from Jordan, Iraq, Palestine, Lebanon, Kuwait, Bahrain, Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria, Yemen, Sudan, Mauritania and Somalia are taking part in this conference.
The Arab League monitors headed by Mohammed Ahmed Mustafa al-Dabi arrived in Syria on 26 December 2011, to oversee a deal to protect civilians in the country. Overall, initially around 50 observers were dispatched to Syria, headed by Sudanese General Mohammed al-Dabi.
Algerian Anwar Malek, one of the Arab League observers to Syria, resigned on 11 January 2012, due to what he described as “the regime committing a series of war crimes against its people and of duping his colleagues”. Anwar Malek also describes witnessing a “humanitarian disaster” and accused the Syrian regime of killing children and attempting to fool the Arab League. The Arab League official in Cairo dismissed Anwar’s accusations.
The Arab League observers mission technically expired on January 18. Nevertheless, as of 22 January 2012, there were 165 observers on the ground in Syria. On 24 January 2012, the Gulf Cooperation Council withdrew its 55 monitors out of 165 strong observer mission, while on January 28 the whole Arab League mission was suspended due to “critical” and deteriorating conditions. (T/P04/P03)
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
