Objectives

The Joint Youth Action within the framework of the GCC aims at achieving specific objectives such as:

Achieving close relationship between the GCC citizens through organizing joint meetings
Achieving equality between GCC citizens
Nationalizing jobs
Coordination of GCC positions at the international forums
Achieving vocational development and exchange of expertise
Encouraging studies and research in the field of youth and sports
Cooperation with the regional and international organizations and groups
Developing joint frameworks in the field of youth, sports and scouts
Unification of the designations, frameworks, structures and specializations at the youth and sport administrations and institutions
Developing a strategy for common action

Fields of the Joint Youth and Scout Activities

Joint activities in youth and scout fields occupy a significant position in the GCC process towards integration and cooperation. These activities include three main areas: Youth activities, Scout activities and Female Guide activities. The following GCC committees run these activities:

1. Committee of the Ministers of Youth and Sport: Five subcommittees branch of this committee: the Committee of Deputy Ministers and the following Technical Committees: The Youth Committee, The Leaders Training Committee, The Sport for All Committee and the Youth Hostels Committee.
2. The Committee of the Heads of Scout Societies and Organizations: two subcommittees branch of this committee: the Technical Committee and the Training, Programs and Community Development Committee
3. The Female Guides’ Committee

Achievements in the Field of Joint Youth Activities

In line with the GCC objectives in the field of joint youth activities, the following achievements have been attained over the past 25 years:

(1) Joint Framework

The joint sport and youth framework that outlines the principles and grounds envisaging youth activities has been adopted. The joint scout framework sets out the implementing prospects of the common activities and the rules governing the relations between the scout societies and organizations. Scout curricula have also been adopted in all scout stages. The principle of equal treatment of all GCC citizens, which enables GCC citizens of utilizing the youth and sort services at any Member State, has also been adopted.

(2) Programs and Activities

Many meetings, festivals, exhibitions, work camps and social, scientific, scout, information and educational meetings as well as several courses, studies, research and forums are organized every year. These programs and activities are organized among GCC States on an alternative basis; some sixty activities are organized every year. Many external joint camps, exhibitions, educational festivals, scout and scientific trips and hostels trips as well as external sport participations are organized at the external representation level, in addition to the cooperation with the regional and international organizations and groups for organizing many joint activities. Completion and unification of the designations, frameworks, structures and specializations at the youth and sport administrations and institutions is currently underway, in addition to developing youth welfare strategy within the framework of the GCC Comprehensive Development Strategy.
(3) Laws and Legislation

Principles of the youth and sport activities in the GCC States (1983) were identified. The GCC has also adopted the framework of the joint youth activities as well as the implementing frameworks of the joint youth activities. Moreover, many designations, frameworks, structures and specializations at the youth and sport administrations and institutions have been unified. In addition to the legislation for encouragement of creative, inventive and gifted youth by granting them relevant patents and incentives.


(4) GCC Educational and Social Relationships

Many meetings, festivals, work camps and social, scientific, scout, information and educational meetings have been organized. Thousands of participants have participated in these activities that have an indirect influence on all categories of the GCC community.

(5) Relationships with the Arab and International Societies

GCC States have Participated in many meetings and educational and scientific festivals such as Tokyo Educational Festival (1986), Scientific Inventions Exhibition (France, 1995), Educational Festival (France, 1998) , the scientific visit to China, and the meeting of the GCC youth with their counterparts from other countries (Hungary, Oct. 2008).

The interest in organizing working camps and environment and community services in the Arab countries has increased; six camps were organized at Somalia (1985), Sudan (1986), Syria (1993), Egypt (1995), Lebanon (1999) and Jordan (2001). Many projects have been completed through those camps, such as afforestation, leveling of agricultural lands, building study chambers, installation of water pipelines, girls’ training centers for sewing and embroidery and reconstitution of schools, scientific centers and youth facilities.

(6) Training of Cadres and Expertise

In this connection, participation in the training courses organized by the Training, Seminars and Workshops Committee during which youth activities are organized has been increased. Qualified members possessing required experience and skills have been appointed at the technical committees.