In celebration of Safer Internet Day, Google and INJAZ Al-Arab hosted a virtual panel discussion to help students across the region to learn more about internet safety and digital citizenship. The “Online Safety Habits & Online Learning” discussion took place on Wednesday, 17 February 2021, with key speakers; Selim Edde, Director of Government Affairs and Public Policy in MENA at Google Arabia, Akef Aqrabawi, INJAZ Al-Arab President & CEO, HE Dr. Tarek Shawki, Minister of Education – Egypt, HE Youssef Belqasmi, Secretary General of the Ministry of National Education, Vocational Training, Higher Education and Scientific Research – the Kingdom of Morocco, Mr. Nasser Muhammad Saleh Dawood, Advisor to the Office of the Minister of Education and Higher Education – Qatar, Shahd Attar, Managing Director at the Ministry of Investment – Saudi Arabia, Razan Bashiti, CEO of INJAZ UAE and moderated by Tamer Zumot, Regional Head of Partnerships & Strategic Development at INJAZ Al-Arab.

The pandemic has seen consumer behavior shift online, with almost two-thirds of the overall Middle East and North Africa (MENA) population becoming digitally active especially via their mobile phones and tablets.  Children, many of whom are experiencing distance learning went from the classroom to remote learning – significantly increasing the time spent online and the risks associated with lack of awareness about the tools and skills needed to stay safe online and protect their privacy  

Commenting on the successful event, INJAZ Al-Arab CEO, Akef Aqrabawi said: “Our strategic partnership with Google stems from our commitment to ensuring the youth in the MENA region are well-equipped with the necessary tools and skills to tackle the challenges they are presented with. We want to enhance their understanding of the tools they have at hand, not only so they are able to navigate distance learning, but to provide them with the knowledge and resources that would enable them to receive optimum learning, while ensuring their safety and digital well-being.” 

“Learning how to stay safe online and how to be a responsible digital citizen are skills that are incredibly important for everyone, especially youth. Our partnership with INJAZ Al-Arab is in response to the growing role technology is playing in supporting education, as more and more children and youth learn remotely. This is why it’s important for us to work together to equip youth and teachers with the necessary tools so that they can stay safe online and explore the web with greater confidence and learn more about how to be responsible digital citizens” said Selim Edde, Director of Government Affairs and Public Policy in MENA at Google Arabia. 

The partnership between Google and INJAZ aims to train over 26,000 students across the Middle East and North Africa on Google’s Abtal Al Internet program, which helps provide youth between the ages of 7 and 13 with the necessary knowledge regarding the basics of digital citizenship, online safety and privacy so that they can explore the online world with confidence. The partnership between Google and INJAZ Al-Arab comes as a response to digital technology increasingly playing a larger role in the daily lives of people, and the importance, especially for students, of education on how to navigate foundational technologies. INJAZ Al-Arab and Google established a partnership in 2018 on The “Maharat Min Google” initiative which reached and impacted more than 200,000 students across the Arab speaking world, between the ages of 16 to 25.  

The panel discussion included a display of the work mechanism of the INJAZ program in light of the Coronavirus pandemic and the importance of extracurricular programs for Arab youth in the region. This was followed by a joint panel discussion between representatives from both Google and INJAZ Al-Arab.  

INJAZ Al-Arab is the largest non-profit organization dedicated to overcoming unemployment in the region and aims to inspire a culture of entrepreneurship and business innovation among Arab youth. Partnering with leading companies in the private sector, INJAZ Al-Arab equips Arab youth to drive the economies of the Arab World forward through training designed to inspire them to develop ambition, entrepreneurship, and professional skills.