Relevance & Justification

While various regional youth initiatives exist, youth voices have often been absent from discussions on economic cooperation and mutual concerns between Yemen, the Gulf, and neighboring countries. OASIS addresses Yemen’s complex challenges through youth-led dialogue and action, filling a gap left by traditional regional programs.

It offers a structured platform for emerging leaders under 40, focused on policy engagement, regional collaboration, and sustainable development. The initiative aligns with the EU Youth Action Plan, promoting partnerships that enable youth engagement in policy and decision-making spaces.

Target Groups & Beneficiaries

The project aims to engage 104 emerging leaders from Yemen, the GCC, and neighboring countries (e.g., Iraq, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Sudan, Somalia, and Djibouti).

Four forums will be organized, each hosting 26 participants—comprising 12 from Yemen and 14 from the broader region.

Participants will be selected based on, but not limited to, their expertise, influence, leadership potential, status as initiative or organizational leaders, and demonstrated commitment to community and regional development.

Project Objectives

To establish a structured, semi-annual dialogue platform for emerging leaders, fostering leadership skills, regional collaboration, and impactful initiatives.

Specific Objectives

• Promote Regional Dialogue and Collaboration: Host four forums to engage participants on topics including the blue economy, policy, trade, leadership, and governance.
• Develop Leadership Skills: Offer advanced training, mentorship, and public leadership development.
• Address Pressing Regional Issues: Produce actionable solutions such as policy proposals, joint research, articles, and public awareness campaigns.
• Provide a Sustainable Networking Platform: Launch an online hub to support ongoing engagement and collaborative projects.

OASIS Activities and Forums Structure

• Project Initiation

  Launching the Project.

• Online Platform Development

  Creating a secure digital networking platform.

• Forum Design and Participant Selection

  Selecting Emerging leaders and designing forum themes.

• Pre-Forum Preparations

  Preparing participants with background materials.

• In-Person Forums

  Conducting workshops and discussions in forums.

• Public Opinion Engagement

  Gathering broader perspectives through campaigns.

• Post-Forum Follow-Up and Initiatives

  Ensuring ongoing engagement and developing initiatives.

Key Activities

Forum Design and Participant Selection

The project will begin with research and expert consultations to identify forum themes critical to peace and stability in Yemen and the region. Background papers will be developed for each theme, offering data, insights, and context to guide discussions. These papers will be prepared through rigorous research and finalized before the forums convene. Participants will then be identified and invited based on expertise, leadership potential, and commitment to regional and community advancement.

Online Platform Development

A secure, interactive digital platform will be developed to support networking, knowledge-sharing, and project collaboration. This platform will serve as a central hub for exchanging ideas, resources, and updates, while facilitating long-term professional relationships among participants.

Pre-Forum Preparations

Two virtual meetings per topic will be conducted prior to each forum to introduce key themes and background materials. These sessions will encourage early engagement, foster diverse perspectives, and help shape the forum agenda.

In-Person Forums

Four in-person forums will be organized to address key regional challenges related to Yemen, the GCC, and neighboring countries. Each three-day forum will include one day of advanced leadership training followed by two days of in-depth dialogue and collaborative problem-solving.

Public Opinion Engagement

Public opinion campaigns will be launched for each forum, using digital tools such as DeepRoot’s platform to gather insights from a broader audience. These campaigns will collect diverse regional perspectives on the selected forum topics, enriching participant discussions and enhancing outreach.

Post-Forum Follow-Up and Initiatives

Virtual follow-up meetings will be held after each forum to maintain engagement and support the implementation of action plans. These sessions will help participants track progress, share updates, and address any challenges in executing agreed-upon initiatives such as policy papers, podcasts, cross-border research, and other joint efforts.

Expected Outcomes

• Development of concrete policy proposals and initiatives, such as joint policy papers, podcasts, exchange invitations, study visits, or other collaborative actions led by OASIS alumni.
• Strengthened regional cooperation through youth-led dialogue and cross-border collaboration.
• Enhanced leadership capacity among young leaders from Yemen and the broader region.
• A sustained network of young changemakers committed to peace, stability, and development.