UNFPA, the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the European Union concluded this year with three rounds of Destination Egypt 2030 in Fayoum, Ismailia and Beni Suef, under the National Population Strategy Programme, and in cooperation with Etijah – Youth and Development Consultancy Institute.

The Sports for Development initiative aims at mobilizing young people to address developmental challenges.

Following an eventful year, the initiative made stops in Fayoum, Ismailia and Beni Suef in October, November and December respectively.

The initiative involves three-day monthly activities across Egypt’s governorates, each promoting different developmental issues.

The activities center on a 2 KM run along the corniche, followed by a musical performance UNFPA’s Music for Development initiative, by bands High Dam, Al-Mena, Sahar El-Zoghby and Yasmine Zaki, whose lyrics include messages about women empowerment, FGM among other issues.

Participants also take part in a capacity building workshop and an interactive theater performance tackling different issues.

The theater performance by Y-PEER Egypt, UNFPA’s youth leadership network, tackles early marriage, after which it opens the floor for questions from the audience directed at characters of the play.

UNFPA, the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the European Union previously took Destination Egypt 2030 to Qena, Luxor and Minya.

One of the National Population Strategy’s main objectives is to educate young people and people in reproductive age and raise awareness on family planning and the value of smaller family size.