Targeting sustainability and development
When they realised that there was minimal awareness of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals ( SDGs ) among young people in their region , 18-year-old Oweis Al Salahi and 20-year-old Ajlan Al-Kaabi were determined to change this by founding the SDGeneration Network .
Ajlan Al-Kaabi
The SDGeneration Network is a digital platform aimed to help young people become more informed and passionate about the Sustainable Development Goals ( SDGs ), while discussing how to bring about this change with like-minded peers ; “ we wanted to educate our fellows youths on the importance of giving back to society and becoming anchors in moving the sustainability movement forward ”.
The Network ’ s projects have included working with national and international entities to host workshops and seminars , with the main goal of these events being to “ illustrate to young people the importance of our roles as future leaders , and our responsibility to carry on the message of sustainability ”.
Oweis and Ajlan note that the COVID-19 pandemic made the Network ’ s physical outreach difficult . The two founders responded by further embracing “ the power of social media ”, hosting numerous webinars , live sessions , and virtual conferences .
“ Social media has allowed us to send our message about the importance of being an active member of society . Being ‘ active ’ means engaging with the community and bringing solutions to the table ”.
The co-founders recognise the passion and drive of youth in Qatar , noting that it is the innovative ideas and proposals from young people that will be pivotal to ensuring that the SDGs are accomplished .