Nasser Youth Movement

Introduction

The glorious July 23 Revolution marked a point of departure for Egypt's independence from colonialism and the organization and construction of national state institutions in the framework of an orientation that places Egypt's interests above all considerations. This was reflected in the performance of these institutions and led to a radical and independent transformation in the determinants of Egyptian policy, internally or externally alike. The late leader Gamal Abdel Nasser believed that liberating Egypt politically, economically and culturally was the first stage on the path to liberating Asia, Africa and Latin America, which was the crucial stage that followed. Therefore, he supported the national liberation movements and their struggle for independence while building a balanced dialogue based on mutual respect with the nations of the world. Additionally, he advocated the establishment of the modern national state model, a model that he applied in Egypt and provided the world’s nations in Africa, Asia and Latin America with the technical expertise and human resources to achieve this goal. From this vision emerged the Nasser Fellowship for International Leadership to transfer this experience to youth around the world.

Why Gamal Abdel Nasser?

The movement bears the name of the late leader Gamal Abdel Nasser, as he is the founding father of the Egyptian Republic and the leader of the July 1952 Revolution, which is called the Great Revolution due to its direct liberatory impact on Arab and African nations. Gamal Abdel Nasser was called the “Father of Africa” and supported global liberation movements until their homelands declared independence. Even liberation revolutions in the Global South, particularly in Latin America, which did not geographically intersect with the 1952 Revolution, were nevertheless directly influenced by the national steps and decisions that supported Egypt’s right to economic and political independence. This was affirmed by historic Latin American leaders themselves.

The Movement considers Nasser’s Leadership to be the most prominent among many national leaders who emerged from the peoples of developing countries - Africa, Asia, and Latin America- and one of the most distinctive leadership models. Beyond his revolutionary role, his institutional role at the national, regional, and international levels formed a cornerstone in confronting imperialist colonial ambitions in the region. It is evident in his major contributions to the establishment of organizations that brought together the peoples of Asia, Africa, and Latin America, including:

• The Afro-Asian People’s Solidarity Organization struggled steadfastly against apartheid and wars in pursuit of peace and supported peoples’ struggles in Africa, Asia, and Latin America since it was founded in 1958.
• The Non-Aligned Movement was founded in 1961 under the leadership of President Gamal Abdel Nasser, Josip Broz Tito, Jawaharlal Nehru and Ahmed Sukarno. The movement played a significant role in maintaining global peace and security and sought to distance itself from Cold War policies between the Eastern and Western blocs. Cairo hosted the initial preparatory meetings.
• The Organization of African Unity, founded in 1963, was the first organization to establish a clear framework for African integration and later became the African Union.
• The Organization of Islamic Cooperation was established following the deliberate arson attack on Al-Aqsa Mosque in 1969 to promote cooperation among Islamic nations. Today, it is the second-largest inter-governmental organization in the world after the United Nations in terms of membership.

About Nasser International Youth Movement

Nasser International Youth Movement, which advocates bilateral relations, is one of the programs of Nasser International Forum. Moreover, Nasser International Forum includes Nasser Fellowship for International Leadership Program, the Student Cadre Training and Preparation Program in Translation and International Media, and the Articles and Opinions portal, which serves as a space for expression.

The movement is one of the outcomes of Nasser Fellowship for International Leadership, whose initial run was held in June 2019 under the patronage of Prime Minister Dr. Mostafa Madbouly. The initial run of the fellowship was not merely a training program; it sought to ensure sustainability for participants after the fellowship ended and to invest in the capacities of its graduates. Accordingly, the graduates independently launched Nasser International Youth Movement, which develops bilateral relations between Egypt and nations worldwide, particularly in the Global South. The movement aims to create a new and renewable network of youth relations grounded in shared values and solidarity. The sixty-seventh branches worldwide have been launching events, initiatives and programs for youth development and skills enhancement through training and capacity building. In addition to establishing partnerships and creating avenues for cooperation among nations through its graduates and members across three continents: Asia, Africa and Latin America. They have launched numerous development programs in youth qualification, empowerment, and entrepreneurship, serving their communities, as many have assumed national and international positions in their own right.

The Movement’s Reference Framework

The Nasser Youth Movement serves as one of the mechanisms for activating key frameworks, including: United Nations resolutions related to youth; Egypt Vision 2030, Africa 2063, the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework, the Ten Principles of the Afro-Asian People’s Solidarity Organization, the Sustainable Development Goals 2030, South–South Cooperation, the African Union roadmap on investing in youth, the African Youth Charter; the principles of the Non-Aligned Movement, and the African Youth Peace and Security Framework.

Accordingly, the Nasser Youth Movement constitutes a comprehensive global platform for youth development to enhance their skills and raise their efficiency, contributing to sustainable development and fostering an active and influential “Global Citizen”.

Official Website

Believing in the significant role of making room for creativity and documenting all field activities, the graduates and members of the Nasser International Forum launched a multilingual website in five languages. The website serves as a global youth platform documenting the works and events of the Nasser International Forum worldwide and monitoring their impact. Furthermore, it enables youth, influencers, leaders, researchers, and thinkers from around the world to express their opinions and analyses and share their academic articles and intellectual contributions through the “Articles and Opinions” portal. (If you want to contribute, kindly send your works to be published on the portal)

The website represents one of the most prominent forms of cultural sustainability through technology, with an average of 22,456 visits from around 123 countries worldwide. It includes approximately 4,956 articles covering a wide range of topics-politics, arts, literature, history, and media- organized by nearly 223 volunteers from graduates and student cadres specializing in media and languages in five languages: Arabic, English, French, Spanish, Swahili, alongside Russian and Urdu content through social media platforms).

The website also contains more than 170 statements and media coverages related to fellowship members, serving as a dedicated online archive documenting key milestones in their professional paths and enhancing their active participation in social and cultural development. Additionally, the “Articles and Opinions” portal is open to youth worldwide, which was recently launched and includes about 485 articles in five official languages across various fields and specializations in the website.

Written contributions can be submitted to: Articles@nasserforum.com

Objectives of the Movement

• Strengthening historical ties and promoting bilateral relations between Egypt and other sister and friend states.
• Raising awareness of development agendas and regional and international agreements at the mass bases level.
• Networking the most influential young leaders worldwide with decision-makers and experts at the local, regional, and international levels.
• Activating initiatives launched by the United Nations, the Non-Aligned Movement, the Afro-Asian People’s Solidarity Organization, and the African Union, particularly those related to youth, women, climate, education, peace and security, governance, and entrepreneurship.
• Establishing a global youth platform to enhance multilateral cooperation.
• Exchanging youth experiences worldwide to generalize successful models while considering local context.