Yesterday, we had the honor of presenting our research, “The Role of Youth in Promoting Cross-Border Cooperation and Regionalism in the Middle East and North Africa,” a joint effort of WeAreMENA and the Emirates Scholar Center for Research & Studies at the German Bundestag, in collaboration with our partners, Abraham Accords Institute Germany, and in the presence of H.E. Ambassador Ahmed Ebrahim Al Qarainees of the Kingdom of Bahrain, Ruhlan Nabiyev, Counsellor of the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan, representatives of the Embassy of Israel in Berlin, and other distinguished guests.
Our research reflects the very essence of our organization: the untapped potential of connecting young people across the Middle East and creating opportunities for dialogue, cooperation, and lasting partnerships.
George Stevens, WeAreMena Co-Founder and Managing Director, opened the roundtable and shared the work of the organization and the vision. The research was presented by its lead author, Einat Levi (عينات ليفي), who shared the key findings and recommendations followed by Dr. Aysha Knidri, International Consultant, Adnan Benali, General Secretary of the Association MIMOUNA אגודת מימונה, and Maryam Younnes, a Lebanese-Israeli Peace Advocate and Content Creator, each contributed their own perspective, demonstrating how these ideas are already being translated into real-life initiatives across the region.
The discussion was skillfully moderated by Aram Aqil, A Kurdish Activist and WeAreMena representative in Europe.
A sincere thank you to our partners, the diplomatic community and everyone who joined us.
Meaningful dialogue begins by bringing people into the same room. We look forward to contributing our research, regional expertise, and on-the-ground experience to more parliamentary discussions, policy forums, and international roundtables that seek practical solutions for a more connected Middle East. If your institution is interested in hosting this conversation, we’d be delighted to continue it together.