Meknes - A workshop on leadership skills and youth empowerment, jointly organized by ToGether As One For Development Exchange Programs Abroad and Global Community Shapers-Meknes and led by Nabil Belmekki and Fofana Ousmane Kerfala, was held on March 25, 2014 at the Ecole Superieure de Technologie of Meknes (ESTM)
A total of 30 participants from various faculties with a good command of English, between the ages of 18 and 30, participated in the workshop.
The overall goal of the workshop was to bring students together to learn about and identify opportunities for acquiring leadership skills and expanding sustainable individual entrepreneurial initiatives. It also aimed to inspire future leaders through personal examples, give participants a greater understanding on the role of leadership in development, highlight the importance of youth involvement, sensitize participants to the value of critical review, and foster the collaboration of members towards the realization of a common project.
The agenda began with an overview by Mr. Fofana of the background and context of why Global Community Shapers matters. He then shared stories of exciting past, current, and upcoming initiatives, such as the “ToGether As One English Club,” to develop the young generation.
Mr. Nabil delivered a keynote speech about effective leadership, emphasizing emotional intelligence as a key quality of a successful leader. He provided participants with concrete examples of successful and unsuccessful leaders in the world to show how leadership is effectively exercised.
Participants appreciated the workshop very well and requested the continuation of such workshops in the future. One woman expressed her enthusiasm and happiness about it, saying: “Thank you very much for the workshop, it was so amazing as expected, you were so inspiring to the extent I started seeing the world with new eyes.”
Fofana Ousmane Kerfala explained why the workshop focused on youth leadership: "Youth are like a reserve pioneer or engine of a machine, they need to be well trained and well informed, because they will replace the society in the future. Youth are the key for the successful society in the future. If they are well educated society will be educated, if not society will not."
Mr. Nabil Belmekki said that "Having student leadership is not only a boon for the young person but also for his particular organization. Making young students as tomorrow’s leaders enables and provides them with opportunities to solve their problems and create the world they wish to see."
"Leadership is an opened door for young generation to communicate effectively, work collaboratively, plan rationally, and organize skillfully. Student leadership is a key success to ambitious future," he added.
The workshop was the culmination of an enormous collective effort. All participants wholeheartedly expressed their appreciation and gratitude to the dean for his assistance and help in the realization of the event.
Edited by Melissa Smyth
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