I recently received a letter from the secretary-general of King Abdul Aziz Center for National Dialogue, Dr. Faisal ibn Abdul Rahman ibn Muammar, in which he stated that the center is keen to promote dialogue. It sees this as something indispensable for the individual, the community and the country as a whole.
What I want to stress here is the need to build a broad and solid base, and for a dialogue to be conducted in the right manner. My question is why haven’t universities become a major component of this base?
As a source for the promotion and dissemination of knowledge, universities are among the social institutions most capable of having a meaningful influence on the younger generation while preparing them for the future.
Each year thousands of students enter universities and thousands of others graduate to enter practical life. The teaching staff in these universities represent researchers and intellectuals.
They represent the educated cream of society and continue to play a leading role in public life.
Allowing universities to host dialogue and open discussion sessions organized by the center would give an additional role and new dimensions to the message of our universities.
Our youth are faced with a host of problems that need to be addressed. The biggest problem facing the young people in this country now is unemployment.
Finding work remains a challenge for college graduates as well as for those who leave education at lower levels. Moving the dialogue into universities would help establish a bridge between the students and their society, thus helping to create a healthy environment for discussion.
If we really want to see our youth play a leading role and to have a strong sense of responsibility then they should be made the focus of any dialogue. We shouldn’t just ask them to prepare research papers and do studies.
Instead, they should talk about the issues they view as being important to them and about their vision for their country.
They should be asked to tell how they could contribute to solving the problem of unemployment; how to confront extremism, terrorism and deviant ideologies; how to train youth for future jobs; how to build a stable and happy family; and how to protect our children and youth from alien and destructive influences.
Our youth, whether students or fresh graduates, need people who can listen and interact with them. This could be provided by holding dialogue sessions in education institutions, whether these are organized by the center or the universities themselves with the participation of other civic institutions.
We are faced with some serious problems that the society cannot always address on behalf of the young. Believe me, our youth need more than just jobs — although this remains a major concern for them and for the country.
They can find a job but they may soon lose it; they may get married but remain unable to maintain stability in the family.
We cannot go on thinking and acting on their behalf.
The youth should not be blamed for mistakes resulting from this kind of thinking where dialogue and discussions are absent.
