Remarks by His Majesty King Abdullah II At the Opening Ceremony of the Young Arab Leaders Forum

In the Name of God, the Most Merciful, the Compassionate.

My brothers and sisters,

May God grant you good health.

Allow me to welcome you, the young Arab leaders, in whom we take pride. We are happy to host you here and appreciate your presence.

And allow me to especially welcome my dear friend Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Prime Minister of Turkey who has taken time out of his schedule to honour this meeting with his presence and gracious participation.

Welcome to all, you are among friends and at home in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

I am proud to be a member of the Young Arab Leaders Board of Trustees along with my brothers who represent these leaders, who have a vision of the future and the potential to transform challenges into great opportunities that will contribute to the progress and prosperity of Arab societies.

I have followed the work of this great organisation since its first day of existence. Over the last year, this organisation's performance was distinguished, especially in starting initiatives that will enhance the role of the Arab youth and their cultural and intellectual development, which will enable them to confront challenges and transform them into opportunities.

One of the most important activities undertaken by this organisation is building bridges of trust among young Arab leaders and their counterparts in Asia, Europe and America, through deep-rooted dialogue and enhanced cooperation tools. This is a vital pursuit, and it is necessary to continue with it, so that it engages the largest possible sector of Arab youth.

This initiative and others are of utmost importance, and I am personally ready to lend every support possible to them, whether at the Arab or international level.

Naturally, over the coming two days, I will be following, with great interest, the proceedings of this congress, which is of utmost importance.

I don't want to keep you for long, but I really wanted to be with you today to welcome you, and to express my gratitude and appreciation to all the members of the board of trustees, and to all the participants in this congress.

Again, I welcome all of you, and I am ready to offer every support or assistance to ensure the success of this congress. And I wish all of you success.

Peace, God's mercy and His blessings be upon you.