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From Hurghada: The Mediterranean Youth Foundation Addresses Climate Change! The Mediterranean Youth Foundation, in collaboration with the Egyptian Ministry of Youth and Sports, is preparing to launch the second edition of our regional project, the Mediterranean Initiative for Climate, from December 19 to 23, 2024. The importance of the initiative stems from its response to the growing environmental challenges in the Mediterranean region, which accommodate more than 510 million people, and where temperatures are rising 20% faster than the global average, according to United Nations reports. This initiative aims to build capacities, develop environmental policies, and generate knowledge to raise awareness about climate change. It serves as a platform for interaction and cultural exchange among Mediterranean youth to innovate environmental solutions and address shared challenges. Stay tuned for event details and share your expectations with us!

“Ministry of Youth and Sports and Mediterranean Youth Foundation Continue to Address Climate Change” The Mediterranean Youth Foundation and the Ministry of Youth and Sports are continuing the activities of the second edition of the regional project “Mediterranean Initiative for Climate” from December 19 to 23, 2024. The initiative included a variety of sessions, ranging from workshops and listening sessions to research activities and presentations focusing on Gender Lens on Climate Change. These sessions were led by Dr. Yasmeen Aladdin, a gender expert and co-president of the Mediterranean Youth Foundation. The initiative also featured artistic performances by participants that addressed concepts such as loss and damage, mitigation and adaptation, and deep decarbonization, reflecting the initiative’s aim to translate climate action to the grassroots level. The importance of this initiative lies in responding to the increasing environmental challenges in the Mediterranean region, which accommodate more than 510 million people, where temperatures are rising 20% faster than the global average, according to UN Environment reports. Our journey in Hurghada for climate change has come to an end, but our efforts continue. Stay tuned for more updates!

The Mediterranean Youth Foundation, in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth and Sports, is organizing the second edition of the regional project, “The Mediterranean Initiative for Climate,” from December 19 to 23, 2024. This initiative aims to build the capacities of representatives of youth organizations and entities, develop environmental policies, and generate knowledge to raise awareness about climate change. It also seeks to explore the regional interaction mechanism between science and policies as recognized by the Barcelona Convention. The initiative includes diverse sessions such as workshops, hearings, research activities, and presentations on the conceptual framework and historical background of climate change, along with key related international agreements. It also featured a knowledge competition on climate and environmental terminology presented by Mr. Youssef Aroog. Additionally, the initiative hosted a session on climate diplomacy and translating climate action to the grassroots level, including mechanisms for negotiation between parties, presented by Mr. Mohamed Ageez, Climate Action Advisor at the Mediterranean Youth Foundation and Managing Partner at TIS Labs. The importance of this initiative lies in responding to the increasing environmental challenges in the Mediterranean region, which accommodate more than 510 million people, where temperatures are rising 20% faster than the global average, according to UN Environment reports. Our activities are still ongoing… Stay tuned! #Youth #peace #Youth4Mediterranean #MYF

Before the next United Nations (UN) Climate Change Conference 2022 (UNFCCC, COP 27) that will take place in Egypt in November 2022, the Mediterranean Youth Foundation for Development (MYF,) hosted  in cooperation with the “Oceans Network” through the Erasmus+ student and Alumni Alliance (ESAA EU,) funded by the “European Commission” with the support of the Egyptian Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Egyptian Ministry of Environment, brought together 55 youth aged 21-35 from the Euro-Mediterranean countries for a 3-day training covering the topic of climate change, in August 2022 in El- Alamein, Egypt.

How It Worked?

The aim of the initiative was to raise awareness about climate change and building the capabilities of youth in the field of climate change. In addition to the training, awareness raising campaigns and contests that have been organized on the same topic, engaging as many youths as possible with the priority topics of the upcoming COP27 (unemployment, The climate crisis, migration, gender inequality) and building the capacities of young men and women to face these challenges.

In a multicultural atmosphere, the Mediterranean Initiative for Climate was launched, with participation of 55 participants from different Mediterranean countries from Spain, Lebanon, Palestine, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Egypt which included about 10 workshops and panel discussions with approximately 50 training hours, and addressed a number of main topics of concern to everyone interested in the environment and climate change, namely environmental peace, challenges of the environment in the Mediterranean and mechanisms of mitigation and adaptation.

The workshops also dealt with how to write a policy paper specialized in the environment, and at the end of the program, the participants worked on writing and submitting policy papers, which will be evaluated and reviewed, to be presented to the officials.

How was social media used?

Before the workshops started, the Mediterranean Youth Foundation launched an online awareness campaign to educate the audience about the issue of climate change, the dangers of using plastic, and how they can contribute to reducing the effects of climate change by publishing a set of posters and infographics.

Also, two competitions were launched. The first was a question competition, the winners received a set of prizes, from an opportunity to participate in the workshops to financial prizes and certificates of appreciation, and the second competition was an article competition, where the participants worked on writing articles on the issue of climate change in Arabic and English. A team of professionals assessed them, and the essay competition winners were allowed to participate in the workshops and receive monetary prizes.

Outcomes 

We are at a critical moment in human history. We are facing a dangerous issue that needs individuals, communities, local, regional and global organizations and governments to come together to reduce the effects of climate change. In November 2022, world leaders will gather at the United Nations Climate Change Conference, an important event in our journey to tackle climate change. We came out of the Mediterranean Initiative for Climate with a set of recommendations, which are as follows:

  1. The necessity of activating and accelerating climate policies worldwide and involving youth in a greater way in limiting the effects of climate change.
  2. Climate action cannot be postponed for the next decade, next year, or tomorrow. We all have to take action now.
  3. There is an urgent need to view the environment as an essential human right.
  4. Governments and local, regional, and international organizations need to strengthen the channels of communication between them, and governments should strengthen the channels of participation at the national and international levels in all stages of planning, implementation, evaluation, and monitoring of climate action policies and programs.

In the end, it can be said that this initiative was an excellent opportunity to pave the way for the Climate Summit, as it was necessary to involve a group of young people from all over the world to exchange views, experiences, and cultures, to come up with a set of policies that can be presented to governments to reduce the effects of climate change.

*A Funded Opportunity for Those Interested in Climate Action in Egypt – The Mediterranean Initiative for Climate MIC*.

Are you a climate action activist?
Do you have an idea or a recommendation in the field of climate and you need a financial or technical support?
Are you between 18 and 35 years old?
If your answers are yes, then this is your opportunity to be part of the change.

Apply now for the 4th edition of the Mediterranean Initiative for Climate (MIC) and receive free training and a chance to obtain a financial support up to 500 USD.

The project is implemented by the Mediterranean Youth Foundation (MYF) under the patronage of the Egyptian Ministry of Environment and in cooperation with Misr El-Kheir Foundation and Population Matters. The 4th edition focuses on three key pillars:

Building youth capacity, enhancing climate knowledge, and understanding international efforts and the outcomes of climate summits.
Empowering youth through field environmental initiatives and providing direct financial support.
Supporting their participation in decision-making by training them on how to prepare policy papers and provide badges to attend official climate negotiations.

Benefits of participation:

Receive free training on climate change, its historical background, and international efforts.
The possibility of obtaining micro-technical and financial support up to 500 USD to fund environmental initiatives and projects.
Participate in the preparation of policy papers with the possibility of obtaining badges to attend official climate negotiations such as COP-SB.

Note: This project is funded, and there are no fees for participation.

The final deadline for registration is December 20, 2025, at 11PM Cairo Time.

The third edition of the Mediterranean Initiative for Climate (MIC) is being launched from Ras El Bar, Egypt. In parallel with the Local Conference of Youth (LCOY Egypt 2025), the Mediterranean Youth Foundation and its partners launched the third edition of our strategic project, the “Mediterranean Initiative for Climate.” The initiative is jointly supported by the Council of Europe and the European Union and is being implemented in Egypt by the Mediterranean Youth Foundation, under the joint patronage of the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Ministry of Environment. The events kicked off with ice-breaking sessions and energizing activities, followed by interactive workshops addressing key climate change questions: What is it? When did it start? How was the response of the international community? What is the role of cultural dialogue in fostering Euro-Mediterranean cooperation? This initiative comes as part of the foundation’s plan to develop the skills and build the capacities of civil society actors, aiming for sustainable development driven by youth leadership. Aroog also facilitated an analytical session that explored the evolution of international frameworks to combat climate change , starting from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), followed by the Kyoto Protocol, and then the Paris Agreement, all the way up to the long-term European Green Deal, which aims to make the EU the first climate-neutral continent by achieving net-zero emissions by 2050! A rich sequence that reflects how the international community’s response to the climate issue has evolved, and highlights the importance of continued cross-border cooperation for a more sustainable future. Stay tuned for upcoming events and reports.

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مؤسسة شباب المتوسط للتنمية تطالب بمنع و حظر فرص التدريب و التطوع غير مدفوعة الأجر في مصر

For English, see below – للغة الإنجليزية، يرجي الإطلاع في الأسفل

مؤسسة شباب المتوسط للتنمية تطالب بمنع و حظر فرص التدريب و التطوع غير مدفوعة الأجر في مصر

ترحب  مؤسسة شباب المتوسط للتنمية بإدراج فصل مخصص للعمل التطوعي في اللائحة التنفيذية لقانون تنظيم ممارسة العمل الأهلي، الصادر بالقانون رقم 149 لسنة 2019. نرى هذه الخطوة إيجابية نحو الإعتراف بالمساهمات القيمة التي يقدمها المتطوعون/ات. بالإضافة إلى ذلك، فإن التركيز على تعويض المتطوعين/ات عن أي نفقات يتكبدونها أثناء خدمتهم يعد تحسيناً مرحباً به.

وفي هذا الصدد، لا تزال لدينا مخاوف بشأن عدم وجود آليات إنفاذ فعالة في الإطار الحالي، يستمر العديد من المتطوعين/ات في تحمل العبئ المالي لعملهم التطوعي، على الرغم من الحماية القانونية التي تكفل لهم حقهم في تعويض ما ينفقونه.

وبالمثل، ينص القسم الحالي الخاص بالمتدربين/ات في قانون العمل رقم 12 لسنة 2003 على تعويض مالي تصاعدي طوال فترة التدريب، حيث يتلقى المتدربون/ات في النهاية الحد الأدنى للأجور في المهنة أو الصنعة التي يتدرج فيها، في حين أن هذا المبدأ جدير بالثناء، فإننا نؤكد على الحاجة إلى آليات مراقبة وإنفاذ قوية لضمان استيفاء هذا الشرط القانوني.

فرص التدريب والعمل التطوعي غير المدفوعة ليست فقط غير مستدامة بالنسبة للشباب/ات، ولكنها تخلق أيضًا نظامًا للاستغلال.
غالبًا ما تعتمد هذه البرامج على العمل المجاني للشباب/ات الباحثين عن الخبرة، مما يعيق قدرتهم على إعالة أنفسهم مالياً وقد يضر بصحتهم النفسية، وهذا يؤثر بشكل غير متناسب على أولئك الذين ينحدرون من خلفيات ذات دخل منخفض، مما يعيق إلى حد أكبر الحراك الاجتماعي.

نطالب بالإجراءات التالية:

  • قيام السلطات المعنية بإستصدار قرار بمنع و حظر فرص التدريب و التطوع غير مدفوعة الأجر.
  • تطوير آليات التنفيذ: إنشاء إجراءات واضحة للإبلاغ عن المخالفات ومحاسبة المنظمات على عدم الإمتثال لضمان التنفيذ الفعال للتعويض الإلزامي للمتدربين وتعويض المتطوعين.
  • إنشاء و تطوير أداة اعتراف بالمهارات و المعارف التي يكتسبها المتطوعين/ات. من شأن هذا أن يحفز المنظمات على تقديم فرص مجدية ومعوضة مع تعزيز قابلية توظيف الشباب/ات, و توجد نماذج دولية ناجحة لذلك من ضمنها شهادة Youthpass.

من خلال اتخاذ هذه الخطوات، يمكننا إنشاء نظام خاليًا من الاستغلال، يعزز التنمية الحقيقية ويمكّن الشباب المصري من المساهمة بشكل مجدٍ في المجتمع.

The Mediterranean Youth Foundation for Development – MYF Calls for an End to Unpaid Internships and Volunteer Work in Egypt

The Mediterranean Youth Foundation for Development – MYF welcomes the inclusion of a section dedicated to volunteer work in the executive regulations of the law on regulating the exercise of civil work, promulgated by law no. 149 of the year 2019. We see this as a positive step towards recognizing the valuable contributions volunteers make. Additionally, the emphasis on reimbursing volunteers for any expenses incurred during their service is a welcome improvement.

However, we remain concerned about the lack of effective enforcement mechanisms within the current framework. Many volunteers continue to shoulder the financial burden of their volunteer work, despite legal protections.

Similarly, the existing internship section of the labor law no. 12 of the year 2003, mandates progressive financial compensation throughout the training period, culminating in interns receiving the minimum wage for their field by the final stage. While this principle is commendable, we emphasize the need for robust monitoring and enforcement mechanisms to ensure this legal requirement is met.

Unpaid internships and volunteer opportunities are not only unsustainable for young people, but they also create a system of exploitation. These programs often rely on the free labor of young individuals seeking experience, thus hindering their ability to support themselves financially and potentially damaging their mental health. This disproportionately affects those from low-income backgrounds, further hindering social mobility.

We call for the following actions:

– The relevant authorities should issue a decision to prevent and prohibit unpaid training and volunteer opportunities.

– Development of enforcement mechanisms: Establish clear procedures for reporting violations and holding organizations accountable for non-compliance to ensure effective implementation of mandatory intern compensation and volunteer compensation.

– Create a mechanism that validates volunteer experiences and skills gained during internships and volunteering opportunities. This would incentivize organizations to offer meaningful and compensated opportunities while enhancing the employability of young people, and there are successful international examples such as the EU’s Youthpass.

By taking these steps, we can create a system that fosters genuine development and empowers young Egyptians to contribute meaningfully to society, free from exploitation.