The 2nd Middle East Youth Conference has begun today in Kobanê Culture and Arts Center.

After the opening speech delivered by the organizing committee, it was the turn of the messages by the participating youth organizations.

“Towards a Multicolored and Democratic Middle East under the leadership of Youth” is the slogan of the conference which has brought together around 300 young people from the four parts of Kurdistan as well as Syria, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Libya, Armenia, Egypt and Turkey.

Delegates from Tunisia, Yemen, Afghanistan, North Africa and Sudan will join the conference via Skype.

Some delegates from some countries were unable to attend the conference because they were prevented from entering Rojava either by the Syrian or the Kurdistan Regional Governments.

An Important Step for Middle East Youth

Underlining that this second conference is an important step for the Middle East youth, Harun Apoyi from the organizing committee recalled that the first such conference was held in Amed in 2015. Apoyi delivered the opening speech on behalf of the Organizing Committee.

"Today, this conference is a historic step in the Middle East's future. This is the second time such a conference is held in the Middle East. It is important to note that Northern Syria has led the road to such conference. Because the Kurdish people and the peoples of the region have sacrificed their youth to liberate these lands.”

Struggle to reach a democratic solution

Rustem Dilşad, who spoke on behalf of Komelê Ciwan, stated that young people play a leading role in the revolution in the Middle East and that this region has witnessed major political, social and cultural changes.

Dilşad added: “Young people led significant developments in the Middle East, not only in the Kurdistan region. We are confident that the revolutionary dynamics of the Middle East youth will contribute to reach solutions to all the problems we are faced with. We emphasize once again that young people will contribute and be part of the democratic solution in the countries they live in.”

Ehmed Osman, a member of the Democratic Students Association, commended the hunger strike demanding the end of isolation against the Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan.

Osman pointed out that the Middle East was the place of the first agricultural and cultural revolution in the history of mankind and that it still has the potential despite the crises devastating it.

“The great legacy in the Middle East provide us with a great output potential. - he said - We, as Middle Eastern youth, are the driving force in making this potential a reality.”

Struggle against the capital systems and the different regimes

Speaking on behalf of the Palestinian youth, Nadya Mehmud said that they are united in the struggle against the capitalist system and regimes and added: “I want to end my words with a promise from the Palestinian poet Tofîq Ziyad: ‘the Palestinian cause is everybody’s cause’."

The conference continues with discussion and videos of the popular resistance and youth movements.