OIC Organize Workshop on "Youth Empowerment: Prospects, Challenges"

On Thursday, 4 September 2025 at the OIC head office in Jeddah, the workshop organized by the OIC General Secretariat both in person and virtually in collaboration with the Union of OIC News Agencies was launched under the theme of "youth empowerment in the member states via video games and social media: prospects and challenges," as part of the OIC Youth Day.

The workshop was presided over by Mr. Ahmed Bin Salman Al-Ghamlas, Assistant Ministry Deputy for Youth Affairs at the Ministry of Sports in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which is chairing the 5th session of the Islamic Conference of the Ministers of Youth and Sports. In his opening speech, Mr. Ahmed Al-Ghamlas stressed that the participation of the Ministry of Sports in this workshop is an incarnation of its commitment to supporting the youth empowerment pathways and reinforcing youth capacities thanks to a constructive partnership with the General Secretariat and the OIC affiliated organizations.

He pointed out that video games and social media represent today's interactive spaces offering promising innovation and leveraging opportunities. This requires investment in knowledge promotion and experience exchange, especially since the Islamic world's youth is among some of the most prominent and active content creators in this field.

On his part, H.E. Amb. Tarig Ali Bakheet, Assistant Secretary-General for Cultural, Humanitarian, Cultural and Social Affairs, delivered the General Secretariat's speech, expressing his deep appreciation for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the host country, for its constant and generous support for the OIC and the joint Islamic action efforts. 

He highlighted that video games and social media have become an integral part of the youth's and children's lives, given the educational, communicational, recreational, and skill development potential of such technologies. He stressed that they can actively contribute to youth empowerment if consciously and thoughtfully leveraged to reinforce strategic thinking and logical powers.