Imagine volunteer teams of committed young professionals (Arabs, Amazighs, Kurds, Circassians, Armenians) and many others, coming together from all parts of the Arab World, stretching from Morocco across North Africa through The Middle East, the Arabian Peninsula, North America, Europe, Australia, and Latin America. Volunteers will be deployed in all Arab countries and will be deployed to serve an
d work with marginalized communities of Arabs and North Africans in Europe, in Canada, in the US and Australia. These intelligent, dedicated professionals health workers, teachers, engineers, social workers, artists, skilled technicians, business entrepreneurs, environmentalists, and others, represent the best of what every nation and group dream off, rich with its diverse cultures, languages, religions, ethnicity, traditions and values. Imagine hundreds of these teams, spread out across the Arab World and the Diaspora, working in communities to improve basic education, health, infrastructure, job training, opportunities, and an environment. Within these communities, volunteer teams focus on the dreams and frustrations of vulnerable youth, both men, and women, giving them a reason to work toward a better future, turning them away from extremism and violence and equipping them for positive roles within their communities and societies, to build up rather than to destroy. They enrich these communities not only as volunteers but also as cultural ambassadors. Because Arab countries are experiencing turmoil and conflicts they’ve not witnessed since colonial times and their nationstates are threatened from within and without. Because trillions of dollars have been diverted from society building and used instead for wars, or lost to corruption and mismanagement. Because significant segments of the Arab world population are disfranchised, jobless, and frustrated with the lack of basic services, economic opportunities, poor governance, lack of government transparency and accountability. Because this has led to a negative, selfperpetuating cycle in which everexpanding numbers of young men and women are without a good education or jobs, leading to hopelessness, despair, and vulnerability to recruitment by extremist groups. Because with fresh thinking, commitment, and programs responsive to community needs, we can redirect this youthful energy into positive, selfreinforcing contributions to the greater good through each person’s achievement of a sense of belonging to the greater community and increase the sense of selfworth. Because we want the Arab world to become a model to the world of positive contributions by today’s young people working to restore communities and societies to peace, stability, and economic development, and good governance.
