Arab youth turn lived experiences into practical solutions for disaster resilience

Cairo, Egypt | August 2026 - More than 260 young people from across the Arab region participated in the Regional Youth Resilience Lab, a virtual and interactive initiative designed to transform lived experiences of disasters into practical solutions for preparedness, response, and recovery.

Held in celebration of International Youth Day and in support of the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction (IDDRR) 2026 campaign, the Lab also served as a regional preparatory event on the road to the Regional Conference of Youth for the Middle East and North Africa (RCOY MENA 2026), the official regional youth climate conference under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Youth Constituency (YOUNGO).

The event generated significant regional interest, attracting more than 1,000 registrations, with 50 per cent of participants aged 24 years or younger, reflecting the growing commitment of Arab youth to advancing disaster risk reduction and strengthening community resilience.

The Regional Youth Resilience Lab was organized by the Arab Youth Advisory Group for Disaster Risk Reduction (AYAG DRR) in partnership with Madad for Development, Foras Khadra, and the Arab Youth Council for Climate Change.

Opening the event on behalf of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) Regional Office for Arab States (ROAS), Mirna Abu Ata, Programme Management Officer, emphasized the critical role of young people in shaping safer and more resilient communities.

"Young people are not only among those most affected by disasters and climate change, they are also among the most powerful drivers of resilience. As we advance the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction 2026 campaign under the theme 'Resilience Starts at Home', we recognize that resilience begins within our homes, schools, neighbourhoods and communities, and grows through the leadership, innovation and commitment of young people. Their voices, ideas and actions are indispensable to building a safer and more resilient future across the Arab region."

Ms. Abu Ata highlighted that the Arab region faces increasingly complex and interconnected risks, including climate change, rapid urbanization, environmental degradation, water scarcity, and socioeconomic pressures. She stressed the importance of moving beyond reactive disaster response towards risk-informed development, integrating science, governance, nature-based solutions, resilient infrastructure, and strong partnerships in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. She also reaffirmed UNDRR's commitment to supporting meaningful youth engagement through initiatives such as the Arab Youth Advisory Group, Making Cities Resilient 2030 (MCR2030), and the Early Warnings for All (EW4All) initiative.

The programme featured an expert session by Alhussain Solan of DeepRoot Consulting, who presented the OASIS paper, "Building Resilient Coastal Communities in Yemen, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Countries and Red Sea Coastal States." The presentation highlighted the growing risks facing coastal communities and emphasized the importance of integrating disaster risk reduction, climate adaptation, resilient infrastructure, ecosystem restoration, and regional cooperation to strengthen long-term resilience.

Seven youth speakers from Mauritania, Algeria, Libya, Yemen, Jordan, Syria, and Iraq shared powerful stories of disasters, climate-related risks, and community action. The session also included perspectives from young persons with disabilities, reinforcing the importance of inclusive disaster risk reduction.

The dialogue was facilitated by Talal Ahmed, Chair of the Arab Youth Advisory Group for Disaster Risk Reduction, who guided participants from sharing lived experiences to developing practical, youth-led solutions.

"Arab youth should not be viewed only as people affected by disasters or as volunteers mobilized after crises. They must be engaged as partners in understanding risk, preparedness, response and recovery."

From scenarios to practical solutions

Participants joined six facilitated breakout groups to address realistic disaster scenarios covering cyclone and flood preparedness in Oman and Yemen, earthquake response in Syria and Egypt, and recovery from wildfires in Tunisia and Algeria.

Working collaboratively, the groups developed practical recommendations reflecting local realities.

In Oman, participants designed a 12-hour preparedness plan for flood-prone and coastal communities, proposing multilingual and accessible early warnings, youth-led digital communication teams, evacuation support, and targeted assistance for persons with disabilities, older people, tourists, and remote communities.

For Yemen, participants proposed strengthening community-based flood preparedness through hazard mapping, early warning dissemination via radio, mobile messaging, mosques, and local networks, while preparing schools and community centres as temporary shelters and protecting livelihoods such as fishing and livestock.

The Syria group developed a Youth Support Protocol for the First Six Hours following an earthquake, focusing on verified information, alternative communication channels, safe volunteer engagement, first aid, psychosocial support, and coordination with emergency services.

In Tunisia, participants proposed a "Planting and Resilience" initiative combining ecosystem restoration, fire-resistant planting, community monitoring, and youth-led recovery actions. Additional recommendations included establishing recovery funds for affected communities and supporting vulnerable households and small enterprises.

Across all discussions, participants identified common priorities, including accessible and trusted early warning systems, meaningful youth participation, inclusion of people in vulnerable situations, stronger coordination with national institutions, protection of livelihoods, and greater investment in disaster prevention before disasters occur.

The recommendations developed during the Lab will be consolidated by the Arab Youth Advisory Group for Disaster Risk Reduction and shared with decision-makers to support continued youth engagement ahead of RCOY MENA 2026. The outcomes will also contribute to discussions during the Eleventh Arab Partnership Meeting for Disaster Risk Reduction and the Second Arab Early Warning and Preparedness Conference, to be held in October 2026, further strengthening youth contributions to the implementation of the Arab Prioritized Action Plan, the Arab Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction, and the Early Warnings for All initiative.

By bringing together young leaders, technical experts, and regional partners in an interactive online setting, the Regional Youth Resilience Lab demonstrated that young people are not only future leaders but they are shaping innovative, locally driven solutions that contribute to safer, more resilient communities across the Arab States.