The Crown Prince Foundation (CPF) has launched the first phase of a flagship training program designed to help university students learn about the core principles of democracy, citizenship, human rights and civic responsibility.
The foundation said in a statement Sunday that it had signed a series of memoranda of understanding with universities and university colleges to implement the "Ana Usharek" (I Participate) program during the 2020/2021 academic year.
It added that the memoranda aim to advance cooperation, institutionalize coordination and communication, contribute to the development and delivery of the program and maximize the desired outcome and impact.
The CPF noted that the memoranda included Jadara University, the Jordan University of Science and Technology, the German Jordanian University, Al-Balqa Applied University and its Karak branch, the Princess Sumaya University for Technology, Al-Hussein Bin Talal University, the University of Jordan, the Hashemite University, the Zarqa University, Mu'tah University and Yarmouk University.
Noteworthy, the CPF has already secured a grant from the National Democratic Institute (NDI) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to sustain the Ana Usharek program. The official implementation of the program started in March this year.
The extracurricular training program falls under the leadership theme in the CPF’s strategy. Targeting university students, the program helps understand how to use democratic methods and community action to become invested in the nation’s future.
Furthermore, it seeks to provide the younger generation with the knowledge needed to engage in political action and decision-making and develop a sense of citizenship to become effective in their societies.
The participants will also learn how to mobilize opinion, garner support for their issues and engage in successful advocacy campaigns whether through influencers or social media or community engagement.