The International Youth Leadership Academy is opening its doors to the Young participants from the Middle East, Southeast Europe, the Balkans and Caucasus

20 September 2011, İstanbul - The International Youth Leadership Academy (IYLA), coordinated by Youth Association for Habitat (YFH), is opening its doors in Istanbul as a result of a partnership between YFH, UNICEF Turkey, CORIO, the Governorship of Istanbul, Save the Children, United Cities and Local Governments Middle East and West Asia Section (UCLG-MEWA), and the World Academy of Local Governments and Democracy (WALD).

The aim of the IYLA, which is located in Sultanahmet Istanbul, is to establish a contemporary youth leadership training center and international training school providing a suitable environment for non-formal education, capacity building and the enhancement of leadership skills among young people.

30 participants (16 international, 14 national) from countries in South East Europe, the Balkans, the Middle East and the Caucasus will participate in the training programme, including: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Egypt, Georgia, Jordan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Lebanon, Moldova, Montenegro, Palestine, Romania, Serbia, Syria and Turkey.

UNICEF Turkey County Office is providing technical support for the development of curricula and also conducting sessions on rights and participation benefiting from its international expertise. UNICEF has also played an important role to reach young people from other countries in the region with the support of the regional office.

Youth For Habitat President Başak Saral, Save the Children Director Holke Wierema, Corio President Gerard Groener, UNICEF Türkiye Deputy Representative Regina De Dominicis, UCLG-MEWA ve WALD Secretary General Mehmet Duman, İstanbul Greater Municipality Mayor Kadir Topbaş, Ministry of Youth and Sport Undersecretary Doç. Dr. Basri Hakan Hakyemez ve İstanbul Governor Hüseyin Avni Mutlu made speeches emphasizing the importance of youth and need for youth empowerment during the speeches at the opening ceremony.

The aim of the IYLA is to establish a contemporary youth leadership training center and international training school providing a suitable environment for non-formal education, capacity building and the enhancement of leadership skills among young people.

The IYLA serves as a pivotal development center for youth supporting the implementation of the internationally-recognized rights of youth and children and the UN’s policies for youth. These rights and policies and other related documents will constitute the main basis for the international component of the academy