Arab Youth Sustainable Development Network Participates in WHO Youth Council Solutions Sprint 2026
12 August 2026 | International Youth Day
The Arab Youth Sustainable Development Network (AYSDN) participated in the WHO Youth Council Solutions Sprint 2026, held online on 12 August 2026 in observance of International Youth Day.
The event was convened by the World Health Organization (WHO) in coordination with Young Professionals in Foreign Policy (YPFP) and the WHO Youth Sprint Committee, bringing together young leaders from different regions to develop youth-driven solutions and recommendations for global health decision-makers.
Representing AYSDN, Belal Al-Yagori and Waleed Al-Sharabi participated as a youth representatives connected to the WHO EMRO Youth Council, contributing to the Health and Peace Solution Group during the thematic breakout sessions.
Advancing the Role of Youth in Health and Peace
The Health and Peace group focused on the role of young people in conflict-affected settings, where youth frequently provide frontline community and health support while remaining underrepresented in formal health, peacebuilding, and decision-making structures.
During the collaborative session, Belal Al-Yagori actively contributed to discussions on prioritizing solutions, risk mitigation, stakeholder engagement, youth capacity building, and pathways for translating youth experience and community-level evidence into decision-making.
A key theme of the discussion was the importance of moving beyond consultation toward meaningful youth influence in health preparedness and peacebuilding processes.
The group also explored the development of structured mechanisms to connect young people with training, mentorship, technical experts, health networks, youth-led solutions, community-level evidence, and decision-making pathways.
Discussions highlighted the potential for stronger links between youth engagement and established global health and emergency-response networks, including the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN).
Youth Voices in Dialogue with WHO Leadership
Following the thematic breakout sessions, participants joined the Reverse Town Hall, where the groups presented their key ideas and recommendations in a dialogue with Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization.
Dr. Tedros responded to selected points raised by participants and noted that several recommendations would require further consideration. He also addressed the human and health consequences of war and conflict, emphasizing the importance of preventing conflict as a fundamental means of protecting health.
Bringing Arab Youth Perspectives to Global Policy Dialogue
AYSDN’s participation provided an important opportunity to bring the perspectives of Arab youth, including young people from conflict-affected contexts such as Yemen, into an international dialogue on health, peace, and youth participation in governance.
The participation also facilitated connections with youth and health networks working internationally, including participants affiliated with the Syrian Youth Council and Young WFPHA, as well as the broader WHO Youth Council ecosystem. These connections offer potential avenues for future knowledge exchange and collaboration around youth engagement, health, peacebuilding, and sustainable development.
For AYSDN, the participation reflects the Network’s commitment to ensuring that Arab youth are not only consulted but meaningfully engaged in shaping policies and solutions that affect their communities.
The experience further reinforces AYSDN’s efforts to connect regional youth priorities with international policy processes and to strengthen the role of young people as partners in advancing health, peace, sustainable development, and inclusive decision-making.
The Arab Youth Sustainable Development Network remains committed to expanding opportunities for Arab youth to engage in global policy dialogue, strengthen cross-regional partnerships, and transform youth perspectives and community-level experience into meaningful contributions to international decision-making.