PressRelease

Amman13November2017FOR IMMEDIATERELEASE

Amman,13November,2017–Adynamicevententitled“TransformingAccesstoEducation”washeldincooperationwiththeUNESCOAmmanOfficeandorganizedbyFORSA,theMiddleEastandNorthAfrica’s largest platform for educational and training opportunities, operating under Leaders ofTomorrow. The invitation-only event at the Landmark Hotel attracted high-level representation,includingH.E.Dr.OmarAlRazzaz,Jordan’sMinisterofEducation,andH.E.AndreaMatteoFontana,EUambassadortoJordan,whosedelegationprovidedfundingfortheeventthroughtheUNESCO-led“NetworksofMediterraneanYouth”Project.SpecialguestH.E.Dr.Razzazexploredhisbroad-basedvision for formaland informaleducation inJordan, in a live interview with FORSA’s founder and CEO, Dr. Sami Hourani. The Ministeracknowledgedthattechnologyischangingthewayweaccessinformationanddiscussedtheimpactofsuchadvancesonaccesstoqualityeducation.“Wehavetwooptions,”Dr.Razzazsaid.“Eitherweholdonto the traditional formsofeducation,orwe followtechnology’s leadto themostmodernmethods of continuous education.” The lively discussion went on to address FORSA’s role inconnectingopportunity-seekingyoungpeoplewithinstitutionsprovidingopportunities.Throughtheuseoftechnology,FORSAconnectseducationalinstitutionsinanontraditionalway,whichprovidesmorelearningopportunitiestoyoungpeoplemoreeffectively.Theaudience,whichincludedrepresentativesfromleadinguniversities,NGOs,Jordaniancompanies,mediapractitioners,governmentandcivilsocietyorganizationsaswellasrepresentativesfromtheinternationalcommunity,hadtheopportunitytoenjoythediscussionwithH.E.Dr.RazzazaswellasanaddressfromH.E.EUAmbassadorFontana.Inhisspeech,AmbassadorFontanaspokeoftheEU’sstrongsupportforyouthinitiativesinJordan.H.E. expressed that, “It is evident that technology, education and employability of youth take aprominentplace intheEUpolicies inJordan.”H.E.spokeaboutthesuccessoftheEUprogramstoengagewithyouthundertheErasmus+andtheyouthemploymentprograms.

Ms. Costanza Farina, UNESCO Representative to Jordan, discussed the positive impact of the EU-funded “Networks of Mediterranean Youth” Project (NET-MED Youth), a three-year (2014-1017)regionalproject implementedbyUNESCOinpartnershipwithyouthorganizations, institutionsandpartners.Shenoted,“TheEU-fundedNETMEDYouthinitiativestrivestodevelopinclusivesocietiesandtofacilitateplatformsfordialogue.”Inachievingthatgoal,itstrivestoreducethefragmentationof efforts andharness the collective potential of youth in affecting democratic transition towardsactivecitizenship,politicalparticipation,economicdevelopment,andsocialinclusion.Ms. Farina touched as well on the importance of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda forSustainable Development in Jordan and around the world. “Youth engagement is central to thesuccess of the entire 2030 Agenda, but in particular to realizing Goal 10, focused on reducinginequalities within and among countries and Goal 16, focused on promoting just, peaceful andinclusivesocieties.”

TheeventalsoexploredhowFORSAisworkingtohelporganizationsincreasetheirpositiveimpactonyouthcommunitiesandstriving to transformaccess to informalandnonformalopportunities.TheFORSAteamwasonhandtopromotetheirmessageoffreeandopenaccesstoeducation.“FORSAcanbe a central platform for all types of education, including opportunities outside of traditionalschooling,”saidDr.Hourani,FORSA’sfounder.TwoFORSAusersalsosharedtheirsuccessstoriesduringtheevent.Ms.SophieBel,DirectoroftheFrenchInstituteinAmman,explainedhowFORSAhelpedherorganizationfindgreatyoungapplicantsfor their SafirLab program.Mr. Abdullah Jbour, a FORSA user, told the audience how his careeracceleratedthroughopportunitieshefoundonFORSA.“IwouldliketothanktheteambehindFORSA;ifitwasn’tforthem,Iwouldn’tbeheretoday.”Thisfirst-of-its-kindeventinspireddialoguesurroundingimportantchallengesfacingyoungpeople.By connectingwith institutions that canprovidekey learningand trainingopportunities for youngpeople,theeventencouragedorganizationsthroughoutJordantoprovidemoreopportunitiestotheyouththatneedthemmost.For more information on the NET-MED Youth project, please visit: netmetyouth@unesco.org orwww.facebook.com/netmedyouth/FormoreinformationonFORSA,pleasevisit:www.for9a.comorwww.facebook.com/for9a

-Ends-Backgroundinformation:UNESCO isknownas the“intellectual”agencyof theUnitedNations.Ata timewhentheworld islookingfornewwaystobuildpeaceandsustainabledevelopment,peoplemustrelyonthepowerofintelligenceto innovate,expandtheirhorizonsandsustainthehopeofanewhumanism.UNESCOexists to bring this creative intelligence to life; for it is in theminds ofmen andwomen that thedefencesofpeaceandtheconditionsforsustainabledevelopmentmustbebuilt.UNESCO’smissioninJordanistoworkwiththegovernmentofJordanandotherstakeholderstoprovideeffectivehighqualityeducational,scientific,culturalandcommunicationprogrammesFor more information about the work of the UNESCO Amman office, please visit:http://www.unesco.org/new/en/amman/home/FORSA (www.for9a.com) is the Middle East and North Africa’s largest platform for youthopportunities,createdbytheAmman-basedyouthorganizationLeadersofTomorrowin2011.Usingthiswebsite,youngpeopleinJordanandacrosstheregionfindinformationabouthigh-qualityformalandinformaleducationalandcapacity-buildingopportunities,likescholarships,trainings,fellowships,internships, contests, and entry-level jobs. In the past two years, over 200,000 young users haveregisteredonFORSA,andeachmonthmillionsofpeopleaccessitscontenttodiscovernewwaystolearnanddevelopthemselves.In2016,FORSAlauncheditsnewwebsiteandiscurrentlydevelopingmobile applications for iOS and Android. Young people can use FORSA to connect with newopportunitiesfromJordanandallovertheworld.Contacts:Ms.DaniaDirani(UNESCO-ArabicandEnglish)Tel.+9620790215479E-mail:d.abulail@unesco.org

Mr.MohammadAbuGhosh(FORSA–ArabicandEnglish)Tel.+9620797731074E-mail:pr@for9a.com