By MUHAMMAD AL-SULAMI | ARAB NEWS

JEDDAH: The Social Development Forum, opened by Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal on Saturday, discussed a number of new initiatives to boost social development. It also emphasized the need to promote education and volunteer services.

There was a special session on the role of youth in social development. It was titled “Youth: Strategic Partner of Development” and participants discussed how to involve young men and women in social development programs.

The forum saw the announcement of a new initiative launched by the Prince Majed bin Abdulaziz Society for Development and Social Services in association with Columbia University Research Center and Dar Al-Hekma College to train volunteers in the not-for-profit sector.

Another initiative was launched to establish a digital library for social welfare in Muslim societies.

“The first initiative aims to make use of the expertise of the sustainable development institute at the Columbia center,” said an official from the society, adding that the organization would register those seeking training. read more