“I learned through New Generation that participation is not a slogan but a practice, and that change begins with a step we believe in and lead ourselves.” With these words, young participants in the New Generation project expressed their pride in what they achieved over five years of joint work (2021–2025), which included training programs, policy labs, and community initiatives across various governorates
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The closing event crowned this journey by showcasing key achievements and honoring participants for their efforts in promoting civic and political awareness. Throughout the project, participants contributed to preparing 11 policy briefs and 3 reports addressing the role of youth and women in driving change, recommending the integration of civic education into curricula, updating laws to guarantee freedom of expression, encouraging political participation, and providing safe spaces for dialogue and initiative.
In this context, the Arab Renaissance for Democracy and Development (ARDD) concluded the project’s activities with a final event entitled “Achievements Harvest: Active Youth Civic and Political Participation” on Tuesday, October 21, 2025. During the gathering, participants reflected on milestones, lessons learned, and success stories.
Engineer Malak Suleiman, Project Manager of New Generation at ARDD, expressed her pride in the participants’ genuine success stories, stating:|"New Generation -GenG was not just a training project but a real space for change. It offered young people and women the opportunity to develop their leadership and civic and political participation skills and to transform their ideas into tangible, impactful initiatives.”
The event was attended by several parliamentarians, partners, and representatives of youth institutions, including members of the network of youth organizations that collaborated on the project.
MP Dr. Abdul Halim Ananbeh, Deputy Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Youth, Sports, and Culture, emphasized:The youth-led initiatives we see today reflect an advanced level of civic and political awareness. They prove that young people are not only the cornerstone of the future but also real partners in the present and active decision-makers in their communities.”
MP Dr. Hamzeh Al-Hawamdeh, Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Environment and Climate, praised the environmental efforts emerging from the project, saying:"We need initiatives like these that combine empowerment and advocacy, linking youth to climate and environmental issues as national priorities. Investing in young people’s environmental awareness is an investment in Jordan’s sustainable future.”
Among the participants who shared their experiences was lawyer Haneen Barakat, one of the participants in the policy lab. She described the experience as a turning point in her understanding of the legal role in shaping public policy:"We learned how to turn legal knowledge into tools for change and how to raise our voices systematically and effectively in support of our communities.”
Mousa Al-Awaisheh, another participant in the policy lab, highlighted the project’s impact on building youth confidence in the power of civic engagement, noting that the resulting initiatives “were not temporary activities but seeds of real and sustainable change.”
As part of knowledge exchange, a panel discussion titled “Success Stories of New Generation Initiatives in Environmental Development and Youth Empowerment” was held, moderated by lawyer Obada Al-Wardat, a policy lab participant. The session featured representatives of youth organizations that received ARDD grants to implement local initiatives in environmental development and youth empowerment.
One of these initiatives, “Ardd and Shabab”, was implemented by Kidzos across four governorates — Amman, Irbid, Jerash, and Ajloun — to enhance the civic and political participation of youth and women and enable them to lead environmental and social initiatives that create a lasting positive impact in their communities.
Amal Al-Ghawanmeh, President of Ard Al-Sindyan Association, presented her initiative “Eco Media”, explaining that the project “aims to build the capacities of Jordanian journalists in the field of climate change and strengthen the role of media in raising environmental awareness and highlighting climate issues in Jordan.”
Meanwhile, Hashem Al-Masarweh, Executive Director of Shabab 42 Foundation, discussed his initiative “Environment Meter“, which promotes civic and political participation among youth and women in Madaba and Theiban. He stated:"Environment Meter was designed to foster institutional and community change by creating direct dialogue channels between local communities, civil society organizations, and official entities — helping to build mutual trust and strengthen local governance.”
In conclusion, participants stressed the importance of continuing to support youth initiatives and expanding opportunities for training and participation, reaffirming that investing in young people remains the surest path toward a fairer and more sustainable future.
