Madaba, Sept. 20 (Petra) - HRH Prince El Hassan bin Talal, honorary president of the El Hassan Youth Award, discussed on Sunday the "vital" role of empowering younger people to become responsible leaders capable of driving sustainable development and safeguarding human dignity.
The Prince told 2026 Sabelat El Hassan program participants that investing in human capital through education, hard work, and public service remains the foundation of national growth.
Prince El Hassan said that hosting the event in Madaba underlines the key role of local governance, calling on youth to drive municipal development through entrepreneurial ideas.
He framed domestic manufacturing as a cornerstone of national self-reliance and economic resilience. He encouraged young Jordanians to join productive sectors and deploy automation, technology, and artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the competitiveness of local products and open new export markets.
Addressing resource scarcity, Prince El Hassan called for turning local challenges, particularly in water, energy, agriculture, logistics, and education, into opportunities for innovation and entrepreneurship. He added that limited resources have historically driven Jordanian ingenuity.
To design more effective development strategies, the Prince advocated using the Multidimensional Deprivation Index (MDI) rather than relying solely on income metrics. Gathering precise data, he said, enables policymakers to accurately assess community needs and allocate resources to the most vulnerable areas.
El Hassan Youth Award Director Khawla Hasan noted that the 2026 Sabelat El Hassan program builds on a journey launched in 1991 under Prince El Hassan's patronage. The initiative provides field activities, physical training, and educational visits to historic, environmental, and industrial sites across Jordan, alongside workshops on leadership, voluntary work, and entrepreneurship.
Head of the Greater Madaba Municipality Committee Haitham Jweinat hailed the program for connecting youth with national institutions, deepening civic responsibility, and boosting intergenerational dialogue.
The event wrapped up with an open forum where participants shared takeaways from their nationwide field visits and brainstormed with Prince El Hassan on putting their new skills to work in local communities.
//Petra// HA
