Doha, November 14 (QNA) - EMPOWER 2026 concluded in Doha on Saturday, issuing its Youth Declaration aimed at strengthening youth leadership for peace and security.
The 17th edition of the EMPOWER Youth Conference was hosted by the Education Above All (EAA) Foundation in partnership with the Ministry of Sports and Youth. 
The conference ended with the EMPOWER 2026 Youth Declaration, developed by participating youth delegates as a call to action for policymakers and decision-makers. 
The Declaration reflected the voices, priorities and proposed solutions of young people and is structured around four interconnected pillars of the global Youth, Peace and Security agenda: participation, protection, prevention and partnerships.
It called for meaningful youth participation in decisions on peace, security and development; safe and enabling environments for young peace builders and advocates; stronger action on the root causes of conflict through education, economic empowerment and social cohesion; and sustainable partnerships between young people, governments, international organizations, the private sector, civil society and Sport for Development stakeholders.
Executive Director of ROTA Programme Arwa Musaaed said, "What we saw at EMPOWER was young people moving beyond participation to leadership. They shaped the theme, challenged ideas and turned three days of dialogue into practical recommendations."
She added,"The Youth Declaration is not an end point; it gives us and our partners a clear responsibility to keep opening spaces where young people can influence decisions affecting their education, opportunities, peace and security."
For his part, Director of the Youth Affairs Department at the Ministry of Sports and Youth Fawaz Al Mesifri commented, "EMPOWER 2026 demonstrated the value of giving young people the confidence and space to engage with national and regional priorities."
"The Ministry's partnership with EAA Foundation reflects our commitment to youth leadership, participation and initiative. We welcome the recommendations developed by the participants and look forward to seeing their contribution continue beyond the conference," he added.
Held under the theme "Youth Leading for Peace and Security", the conference brought together 250 young leaders from Qatar.
Across the three-day program, participants took part in 18 interactive workshops, four panel discussions and four Power Speeches. 
The sessions examined meaningful youth participation in decision-making; the protection of young peace builders; education and economic opportunity as foundations for peace; and the contribution of sport and cross-sector partnerships to resilience and social cohesion.
Speakers and contributors represented organizations and institutions including the United Nations Development Programme, United Nations Population Fund, UNICEF, Search for Common Ground, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, civil society, the private sector, and Sport for Development organizations. 
Moreover, Palestinian EAA scholars, United Nations youth delegates and EAA youth advocates also contributed as speakers and moderators, ensuring that youth experience remained central to the discussions.
For its part, the EMPOWER 2026 Youth Exhibition provided an additional platform for youth-led ideas, projects and partner initiatives, enabling participants to connect with peers and organizations working across education, economic empowerment, peacebuilding and community development.
EAA Youth representatives will present the EMPOWER 2026 Youth Declaration at the regional Arab Youth Forum for Peace and Security, to take place in Doha from November 15 to 17, 2026. 
This next step will carry the participants' recommendations into a wider regional dialogue and create an opportunity to connect youth priorities with policy discussions on peace and security.
Now in its 17th edition, EMPOWER continues to provide a regional platform through which young people can strengthen their skills, build networks, engage with decision-makers and turn their ideas into advocacy and action.
Youth committees contributed to shaping the conference's theme, sessions and activities, while youth advocates took on roles as speakers, session moderators, and event presenters throughout the conference. (QNA)