The general assembly of the Riyadh-based World Assembly of Muslim Youth (WAMY) has elected its new board of trustees as part of the 12th international conference which concluded in Marrakesh recently.
The new elected board of trustees is composed of 23 members representing Muslim communities from all over the world. The board is dominated by Saudis as 11 of those members (48 percent) are from the Kingdom, including its secretary-general, Salih Al-Wohaiby who was re-elected.
"This election was an important component of the conference as the new board of trusties will set the general goals, policies, strategies that will determine the course of WAMY for the next four years both in the Kingdom and the world," Al-Wohaiby told Arab News.
More than 700 Muslim scholars and heads of 450 youth organizations from all parts of the world who participated in the historic Moroccan city expressed their profound gratitude for King Mohammed VI of Morocco and his government, and people for hosting the conference and extending all the facilities for its success.
The conference expressed its deep sorrow over the death of King Abdullah who was a prominent supporter of Islamic causes all over the world as well as a pioneer global advocate for interfaith dialogue. It wished all success to his successor, Custodian of the Tow Holy Mosques King Salman.
The conference condemned deliberate media insults in different parts of the world to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), his companions and Islam. "This practice will widen the gulf and will not serve the efforts being made for building bridges of understanding and cooperation between countries and nations," the conference said.
The conference expressed sorrow over the ongoing bloody conflicts in many Muslim countries, calling on their political leaders, intellectuals and reformers to promote national reconciliation.
It said it is observing the tragic situation in occupied Palestine, particularly the Zionist actions to Judaize the holy city of Al-Quds (Jerusalem), tightening a siege on Palestinians and exposing them to famine and depriving them of their rights, and urged Muslim nations, governments and free nations to support the just Palestinian cause.
The conference called on government, educational institutions and families in Muslim countries to pay greater attention to youth issues and problems.
It called for involving youth in decision-making processes, proper training and job creation. The youth should be taught concepts of freedom, tolerance and dialogue and encouraged to practice these concepts and show their creativity and talents within the frameworks of the teachings of Islam.
Al-Wohaiby told Arab News that these recommendations were formulated after careful study and discussion over three days on Muslim youth, current problems in the world and potential solutions that were presented in over 40 research papers. (Arab News)