The Youth Local Council of Beit Sahour

The Youth Local Council in Beit Sahour is a democratic youth council established under a license from the local government with support from the CHF International Foundation, and supervised by the Sharek Foundation and the municipal council team of Beit Sahour, on May 15, 2010.

The council includes young individuals aged between 16 and 24, elected by a general assembly consisting of their peers. Each member holds a position equivalent to that of official municipal council members, utilizing their experiences in executing assigned tasks. The council comprises a president, a vice president, and 11 members, totaling 13 members.

The council engages in diverse activities within Beit Sahour, including local universities, student residential areas, and remote regions, welcoming all students and youth to join. Additionally, the council prepares administrative and financial reports for officials.

The first local youth council was elected in May 2010, followed by new elections every two years until 2022, with the next elections scheduled for September. Elections are held biennially to provide the maximum number of youth the opportunity to participate in this democratic process.

Mission

The Youth Local Council in Beit Sahour is a non-profit, non-governmental, and non-partisan youth council aimed at developing the capabilities of Palestinian students and youth in Beit Sahour across educational, political, and social domains. The council aims to empower youth, enhance their awareness of good governance, and promote principles of law and democracy. Through this, the council seeks to encourage political and societal participation among Palestinian youth, aiming to bring about positive change and develop Palestinian society, utilizing new media and advocacy campaigns as tools for communication and participation.

Vision

 We strive to be a leading council in our services and relationships with citizens, especially youth. We aspire for the council to be modern, advanced, and distinguished in its youth-oriented services and structure. We work to keep pace with technological and administrative developments to meet the needs of youth, employing planning as a fundamental approach to management, with a focus on utilizing educational and cultural capacities in the most efficient ways. Furthermore, we emphasize fair distribution of services through adopting participation and partnership as key strategies in our work with youth in a healthy and encouraging work environment conducive to productivity and excellence.

Objectives of the Council

• Enhancing the efficiency and capabilities of Palestinian students and youth and encouraging their participation.
• Addressing inequalities affecting Palestinian students and youth.
• Developing administrative and financial processes to maintain transparency and effectiveness of the council.
• Building strong relationships with decision-makers and developing these relationships to serve the student and youth sectors.
• Creating qualified youth leaders and cadres with high awareness of local authority operations.
• Introducing youth to the electoral process and concepts of citizenship and democratic participation.
• Empowering youth with leadership experience and providing them with opportunities to play leadership roles in their local communities.
• Encouraging cultural, sports, and social activities for youth and contributing to them.
• Preserving the cultural, historical, and civilizational character of Beit Sahour.