Jordanian youth conclude “A New Horizon” with a direct dialogue with decision-makers and a shared discourse on political modernization

On Wednesday, Jordanian young men and women concluded the activities of the project “A New Horizon: Unifying Youth and Women’s Discourse to Support Modernization in Jordan”, implemented by the Politics and Society Institute (PSI) in partnership with the Naya Community Network, and supported by the United Nations Democracy Fund (UNDEF). The project concluded with a large-scale closing ceremony, attended by prominent local and international officials, alongside broad youth participation representing various governorates and regions across the Kingdom.

The closing event marked a pivotal moment that crowned a two-year project trajectory. Throughout this period, the initiative was not merely a training program or a series of scattered activities, but rather a cumulative process aimed at building a unified youth and women’s discourse and strengthening their presence as genuine actors in the national debate on political, economic, and administrative modernization in Jordan.

From Idea to Impact: Two Years of Accumulation and Transformation

During the ceremony, participating youth and women presented their personal experiences and success stories, tracing their transition from capacity-building programs to active engagement in national discussions and the formulation of policy-oriented visions grounded in analysis and knowledge. They also presented summaries of policy papers developed across multiple thematic areas, in addition to showcasing the outcomes of their digital and field campaigns, which reached over one million direct and indirect engagements across digital platforms, universities, and diverse community spaces.

These campaigns reflected a unified youth and women’s discourse that approached modernization as a comprehensive state project—not limited to political reform alone, but extending to economic and administrative dimensions, and establishing a renewed relationship between citizens and decision-makers based on participation, transparency, and accountability.

Policy Papers from Local Reality to Decision-Makers

During the sessions, participants highlighted their journey from capacity-building to active participation in public debate and opinion formation. The policy papers they presented addressed key issues, including political participation, integrity and governance, justice and the rule of law, media and political communication, and environment and climate change.

These papers offered practical approaches rooted in the realities of local governorates, based on diagnosing challenges and proposing actionable solutions. This reflected an advanced level of political and research maturity among participants and demonstrated their ability to engage official institutions using the language of public policy rather than general demands.

Direct Dialogue and a Non-Traditional Space

The dialogue sessions constituted one of the most prominent features of the closing event, providing an open and non-traditional space for direct discussion between youth and women on one side and decision-makers and government officials on the other. Participants discussed their vision of political modernization and emphasized the importance of shifting from treating youth and women as target groups to recognizing them as genuine partners in policy formulation and decision-making at both national and local levels.

Participants stressed that their experience in the project reshaped their understanding of public engagement and reinforced their conviction that political participation is not a privilege, but a right and a responsibility—and that building a unified discourse enhances their capacity for influence and sustainability.

Al-Khawaldeh: A Mature Discourse Aligned with the State’s Vision

In his remarks, the Secretary General of the Ministry of Political and Parliamentary Affairs, Dr. Ali Al-Khawaldeh, who patronized the event, affirmed that the contributions of youth and women throughout the project reflect a qualitative shift in the nature of political participation in Jordan. He stated: “What we witnessed today—from ideas and policy papers to direct dialogue—confirms that Jordanian youth have become conscious partners in the political modernization project, capable of presenting a responsible discourse aligned with the state’s vision for reform and modernization.”

Dr. Al-Khawaldeh added that the government views positively initiatives that strengthen structured dialogue with youth and women and help transform their aspirations into executable policies and programs. He emphasized the importance of building on the outputs of such projects and integrating their recommendations into national modernization pathways.

United Nations: Impact Beyond Numbers

For her part, the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Jordan, Ms. Sheri Ritsema-Anderson, commended the outcomes of the project, affirming that “A New Horizon” represents a successful model of partnership between national institutions and international organizations in supporting democracy and promoting sustainable political participation.

She stated: “This project demonstrated how youth and women, when provided with space and tools, can lead mature and responsible dialogue about the future of their country. What has been achieved over the past two years goes beyond numbers, reflecting a genuine and sustainable impact on political awareness and practice.”

She reaffirmed that the UN’s support for such initiatives stems from a deep belief that the inclusion of youth and women is the cornerstone of building inclusive and resilient democracies capable of confronting political, economic, and social challenges.

Over One Million Interactions and a Distinctive Discourse

Reviewing the project’s outcomes, Dr. Rasha Fityan, Executive Director of the Politics and Society Institute, explained that the project was founded on the core belief that political modernization cannot succeed if it remains an elite-driven dialogue, nor if youth remain passive recipients or hesitant participants. “Our goal was to work with youth, not about them—listening to their differences and transforming diversity into common ground and a responsible political discourse that reflects their aspirations within the framework of the state and the reform process.”

She emphasized that what the institute values most is not only the activities or outputs, but the spaces of trust that were created and the youth’s growing capacity to articulate their positions in a clearer, more realistic, and more dialogue-ready political language—capable of engaging decision-makers and society simultaneously.

Dr. Fityan noted that the project reached more than one million engagements through digital campaigns, university days, and community discussions, reflecting the level of interest generated by youth and women’s discourse across governorates. She added: “What distinguishes this project is not only the scale of engagement, but the quality of discourse—one grounded in knowledge, analysis, and national responsibility, and capable of addressing decision-makers in the language of policy rather than slogans.”

She further explained that the institute focused from the outset on equipping youth and women with research, analysis, and policy formulation tools to ensure the sustainability of the project’s impact and to transform participants into long-term actors in public life capable of building on achieved gains.

From Beneficiaries to Partners

In turn, Mr. Raef Badran, Director General of the Naya Community Network, affirmed that the project embodied a practical model for transitioning from working with youth as beneficiaries to engaging them as partners in solution design. He stated: “We believe real investment lies in youth awareness and their ability to organize, express themselves, and shape public positions. What we saw in ‘A New Horizon’ is a clear shift from symbolic participation to meaningful engagement, and from general debate to the production of policies and initiatives that can be discussed with decision-makers.”

Badran highlighted that the project’s strength lies in combining knowledge empowerment, fieldwork, and engagement with official institutions, emphasizing that civil society plays a complementary role alongside the state in advancing reform pathways. He added: “Political modernization requires conscious youth bases capable of understanding policies, holding them accountable, and participating in their development. This is what we sought to achieve in our partnership with PSI—creating real bridges between youth and decision-makers, not merely protocol meetings.”

He concluded by reaffirming Naya Network’s commitment to expanding youth and women’s participation spaces across governorates and building on the project’s outputs in future initiatives that support political modernization and sustainable local development.

A Platform Beyond the Project

The ceremony concluded with a shared affirmation that “A New Horizon” was not a time-bound project, but rather a foundational platform for a unified youth and women’s discourse—one capable of continuity, evolution, and meaningful contribution to Jordan’s comprehensive political modernization process.

Participants emphasized that their experience redefined their role in political life and cemented a firm conviction that their participation is not marginal, but central to shaping Jordan’s political future and strengthening trust between citizens and institutions.

The closing event reflects the shared ambition of the Politics and Society Institute and the United Nations Democracy Fund to enhance youth and women’s civic and political participation and to present a practical model for transforming youth energy into a force for proposal and influence—making this project a concrete and advanced step in Jordan’s path toward modernization and democracy.