The Middle East and North Africa Youth Conference is taking place in Beirut with the participation of 80 delegates from 21 youth organisations from different countries.

The two-day conference is organised under the slogan ‘Youth and Building a Free Future’, discussing youth problems, solutions, struggle against racism, problems of women's freedom, how to activate the role of youth, development of solidarity and struggle of youth.

On its first day, the conference discusses the intervention and impact of the forces of capitalist modernity on the youth of the Middle East, how war and war affect the youth, the situation of young women in wars and crises, the abduction and rape of women and young women in war, especially by extremist organisations, and how these can be prevented.

The second day of the conference started with workshops on topics such as ‘Ecological crisis and ecocide’, ‘The approach of the governments towards the youth and their use of the youth for their own interests’ and ‘Youth, nationalism, sexism, religionism and science’.

The first workshop focused on the ‘Ecological crisis and ecocide’. Rêz Latif, member of South Kurdistan Youth and Alî Sevir, member of the Iraqi Communist Party, participated in the session and discussed ‘the role of youth in limiting the destruction of nature and finding solutions to the ecological crisis’.

In the discussions, it was emphasised that solving the ecological crisis under the leadership of young people is vital for the Middle East.

Participants underlined the strong ties of the peoples of the Middle East and North East Africa with nature and the serious damage to these ties caused by wars.

The participants expressed their determination to fight against ecocide caused by wars. They also drew attention to the leading role of the youth in the safe construction of a moral and healthy life.