Global Land Forum 2022 to kick off in Jordan on May 21
AMMAN — The Global Land Forum 2022 (GLF) is set to kick off on May 21, heralding a “significant shift” in land governance in the Kingdom, according to organisers.
The GLF is a forum that will combine various values, such as sustainability, innovation, transparency, land governance and women’s land rights in one place, said Raed Gharib, co-chair of the National Organising Committee (SEEDS Jordan), in a recent interview with The Jordan Times.
“The GLF gears towards strengthening policies and actions on responsible land reform, governance and management,” he added.
The Youth GLF will include debates and actions aimed to encourage youth participation to find solutions for a more sustainable and a more resilient world, according to Gharib.
He noted that “the three days Youth GLF is also focused on putting forward the local community’s traditions and culture”.
He also said a youth charter will be launched on the third day of the forum.
Organised by the International Land Coalition (ILC), the GLF is a tri-annual meeting that brings together NGOs, research centres, government agencies, institutions and community-based organisations in the hosting country to build a vision and a roadmap for land governance based on local and national priorities, according to the ILC website.
Jordan will be the first Middle Eastern country to host the GLF, partnering with the Jordanian Ministry of Agriculture and the EU alongside SEEDS Jordan.
According to a Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN) statement sent to The Jordan Times, the first ever Youth GLF will be held on May 21 at the Ajloun Forest Reserve.
It is set to bring together a global network of 100 young leaders aged 18 to 35, of which 50 will be Jordanian.
Acting RSCN director general, Fadi Al Naser, said that hosting the forum is a positive step for Jordan, adding that, “holding the first ever Youth GLF in a natural reserve is proof of the importance of the Kingdom’s natural reserves”.
The Youth GLF is organised by the ILC, SEEDS-Jordan, the Ministry of Youth and RSCN, and will create a platform for young people, the statement added.