Yes, I'm Optimistic About Palestinian Youth

On a recent visit to the West Bank, I met with presidents, professors, and students from eight local universities to talk about the challenges Palestinian youth face. As those familiar with this region are aware, the circumstances are extremely difficult: security and logistical barriers, a stalled peace process, an ever-deteriorating economy with not enough jobs, and a young workforce largely unprepared for positions that do exist. Youth unemployment hovers just above 40 percent, and even more discouraging is that half of those young people who can't find work hold university degrees.

Yet what always amazes me when I'm there is the remarkable resilience and stubborn sense of hope that so many young Palestinians share. Speaking with our university partners, I felt that same spirit of optimism. While acknowledging the barriers to employment facing their graduates, these educators told me that programs promoting life skills, entrepreneurship, and career guidance are, in fact, changing the odds and making a difference in the lives of their students.

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