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.
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 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.