Youth are Makers of Renaissance
Celebrating its 10-year anniversary in 2018, the Arab Renaissance for Democracy and Development (ARDD) hosted the “Arab Renaissance: Renewal of the Civilizational Message” conference, attended by a group of elite social and political sciences intellectuals in the Arab world. ARDD called for the launch of a modern renaissance project to build on the first Arab renaissance era (between the 19th and early 20th centuries) that featured political, social, cultural, and economic reformation, as well as a rejuvenation of the religious discourse.
Participants urged Arab youths to defeat the current state of despair, stagnation, defeat, and alienation in their own countries, and strive to face the serious current challenges , since they are the hope for this renaissance project.
To this end, ARDD launched Al Nahda Youth Network on August 12, 2020, the International Youth Day. The network functions as an umbrella organizing youth efforts and programming based on the renaissance project and literature. It also encourages youths to channel individual efforts into organized, collective social action to influence decision-making processes and public policy, and to exercise their civil, political, cultural, and social roles, improve their public participation, and strive to shape their future rather than leave it for others to shape.
Our Philosophy
“Pessimism of the intellect, optimism of the will”
Antonio Gramsci
Al Nahda Youth Network’s philosophy stems from the understanding of the general human nature and psychological state of the youth, which is normally characterized by its the spirit of adventure and thirst for life. Young people are naturally active, full of life, and adventurous, rather than defeatist and desperate. Therefore, and despite the challenges, the network invites youths to overcome the pessimism of the intellect and get equipped with the optimism of the will to realize the modern renaissance project.
In order to fulfill the project, the problems facing the youth must be addressed. Issues caused by frequent crises, such as isolation, absence of belonging and crises of morals and identity when faced with “the other” have led to violence, extremism, separation, fear, worry, and isolation, rather than engagement in collective action.
Our Values
Openness to scientific progress and world cultures, and the preservation of the Arabic culture and its basic principles, such as forgiveness, justice, and chivalry, and solidarity with Arabic causes.
Our Message
Creating a youth platform for modern dialogue and stimulating Arab youth’s creative powers in an attempt to organize ideas and mobilize efforts, helping the Arab youth identify “commonalities” and side with humanitarian issues and marginalized groups.
“If the youths do not collaborate to build their life, someone else will force them to live another!”
Mustafa Mahmoud
Our Vision
A modern, Arab youth network investing in collective social movements and in tools that help it network, mobilize, and exchange ideas, and form the main pillar of the modern renaissance project ARDD calls for “Renewal of the Civilizational Message of Arab Societies”.
Our Mission
To help the youth defeat the state of despair and frustration, and reach a state of positivity that helps it realize the modern renaissance project, based on social justice, equality, democracy, and building of the state.
Our Work Mechanism “Social Networking Action”
For its work with the youth, ARDD uses the modern model of social networking, which is capable of transforming ideas into reality, and concepts into action, and create interactive societies where people focus on shared issues.
The network benefits from this model by transferring knowledge, redefining concepts of social justice and alternative, participatory democracy, and utilizing the speed of horizontal communication within these networks, such as multimedia.
Our Motto
“We were not born to be defeated… we were born to live”
For communication and participation
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