We are citizens of the world, say Arab youth

DUBAI // Seven out of 10 young Arabs, including those in the UAE, describe themselves as global citizens, regardless of their ethnicity, nationality or religious background, according to a study released yesterday. The second annual Arab Youth Survey, conducted by the Dubai-based public relations firm Asda'a Burson-Marsteller, questioned 2,000 Arab national and expatriate youth, aged 18 to 24, in nine countries across the Middle East: Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the UAE.

In interviews conducted by the international polling firm Penn Schoen and Berland Associates, 79 nine per cent of Arab national and expatriate youth in the UAE described global citizenship as "important", a result that was comparable to most other countries involved in the survey. Respondents from all across the Middle East said greater democracy, affordable housing, more job prospects and fair wages, better infrastructure, access to the best universities and the desire to live in a safe neighbourhood were most important to them. "More than two-thirds of respondents were very concerned about the rising cost of living ," said Karen Hughes of Burson-Marsteller.

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