JEDDAH, 30 June 2007 — The Jeddah Municipality is organizing for the first time an open forum today for young Saudis seeking their feedback on what city officials should be doing to address the needs of the younger generation. Jamal Abu Imara, head of the social development and media department said that more than 200 youths would be directly debating and brainstorming with Jeddah Mayor Adel Fakieh and other high-ranking municipal officials.
He said that this event (with the unassuming title: “What Does the Youth Need From the Municipality?”) is a forum for reaching out to young adults to find out what facilities and services would satisfy with their needs.
A large majority of the Kingdom’s population is under the age of 30 (65 percent are between the ages of 17 and 25) and municipal officials have recognized the need to reach out to this segment of the population.
Abu Imara said that this initiative came is an offshoot of the municipality’s efforts to curb street graffiti by designating appropriate areas for this subversive form of youthful expression. The municipality now has 55 walls in different districts and has organized events for the would-be street artists.
