News Focus – IEYF 2024: Testament to the power of youth collaboration

Model OIC Indonesia with  OIC Youth Indonesia, Young Leaders for Indonesia, the National Youth Council of Indonesia, the Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum and Bank Indonesia organized the Islamic Economy Youth Forum (IEYF) 2024

By Mohammad Anthoni

 

Jakarta (Indonesia Window) – The Islamic Economy Youth Forum (IEYF) 2024, is co-organized by OIC Youth Indonesia, Model OIC Indonesia, Young Leaders for Indonesia, the National Youth Council of Indonesia, the Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum, and the Central Bank of Indonesia as part of the 11th Indonesia Sharia Economic Festival (ISEF) 2024.

The conference themed Islamic Economy and Finance as A Driver of Resilient and Sustainable Economic Growth which was taken place virtually on October 28-31, 2024, was attended by youth participants from Afghanistan, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, the Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Pakistan and Russia.

The online forum was held to give an opportunity for youths from all around the world to discuss the Islamic economy, unencumbered by geographic limitation.

IEYF 2024 by OIC Youth Indonesia which is part of the ISEF 2024 agenda is an initiative of Indonesia’s central bank (Bank Indonesia) in partnership with all key stakeholders in the Indonesian Islamic economy and finance industry to build an international Islamic economy event.

ISEF which has taken place every year since 2014 is the largest annual Islamic economy and Islamic finance event of its kind in Indonesia with objectives including creating a new type of event that gives youth an opportunity to discuss and talk about the future of the world Islamic economy and high-level stakeholders, mainstreaming the potentials and opportunities of the world Islamic economy to youth in Indonesia and OIC member states.

The festival also aims at providing a networking opportunity for youth to network with each other and with stakeholders both domestically and internationally and shares Model IOC (MOIC) experience with youth (because the forum will use MOIC rules and procedures).

In a session themed Leadership for Youth and Crafting Effective Policy Recommendation held on October 25, Ghufron Mustaqim and Makhyan Jibril Al Farabi were speakers in the IEYF.

Ghufron Mustaqim is the founder of Evermoss, a startup that has raised 77 million US dollars in funding. Evermoss is a connected commerce platform that empowers local brands and underserved communities by providing distribution network and commerce service containing products that comply with sharia principles.

Mustaqim himself has donated half of his shares at Evermoss, and some of the shares in which Madrasah Muallimin Muhammadyah Yogyakarta has been one of the recipients.

Meanwhile, Makhyan Jibril Al Farabi with deep experience in policy making in Indonesia is the head of the Data Management Team and spokesperson of East Java Province’s Covid-19 task force.

He participated in drafting the Covid-19 response of East Java province, a province with a population of 41.4 milllion people. As the Communication and Healthcare and as an information staff member at the Indonesian Ministry of Health, he also contributed to the delivery of the new Health Omnibus Law.

Other speakers are M. Lutfi Hamidi PhD (UIII), Muhammad Haidar Hafizh (FoSSEI), Ugi Suharto PhD (UIII), Zayd Maulana Ambari (FoSSEI), Muhammad Mahli (MOIC ICYF), DR. Irfan Syauqi Beik SP, MSc.Ec (MES), Rfai-Uddin Shikhoh (DinarStandard), Okky Irmanita (Rabu Hijrah), Sami Serdar (ICYF) YBH), Ir Fernanda Reza MM, PhD (can) (IJBNet), Tony Prianto (Indonesia’s Finance Ministry), Jhordy Kahooogie (Bank Indonesia), Hylmun Izhar (IsDB), Ahmed Faruk Diken (IsDB), and Dr. Atila Karaman (SESRIC).

The OIC Youth Indonesia is the umbrella organization of all youth organizations under its umbrella, and also various sub bodies as well.

The organization in the structure is the Vice-President positions. OIC Youth Indonesia is the Indonesia coordinator for the ICYF flagship program, the OIC Academic Training and Diplomatic Simulation Model.

The program is one of the 14-priority Joint Youth Action Plan, adopted at the 3rd Session of the Islamic Conference of Youth and Sports Minters (October 5-7, 2016, Istanbul) and then approved at the 43rd Session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers (October 18-19, 2016, Tashkent).

Currently there are 29 Indonesian Muslim youth organizations under the umbrella of OIC Youth Indonesia, as well as various sub-agencies, including Santri Diplomacy Academy, Model OIC Indoneisa, Strategic Research Society, and Sharian Economics and Enterpreneurship Decelompment.

 

Testament

“This event is the culmination of three-week-long International Islamic Economy Youth Forum 2024. It has been a remarkable journey, a testament to the power of youth collaboration and innovation,” said Astrid Nadya Rizqita, chairperson of the OIC Youth Indonesia, in her remark.

“We have embarked on a historic endeavor, organizing their first-ever forum of its kind in the OIC region. Over the past three weeks, we have hosted 21 insightful online sessions, engaging young minds from diverse backgrounds. These sessions have explored the multifaceted aspects of Islamic economy and finance, empowering us with knowledge and inspiring us to action,” she said.

According to her, IEYF 2024 successfully provided a platform for young leaders to engage in meaningful discussions, learn from experts, and contribute to the development of Islamic economics.

“The forum’s commitment to fostering youth engangement and empowering the next generation of Islamic economic leaders is a testament to its success,” she said.

Astrid has expressed her gratitude for the unwavering support and cooperation of co-organizers and partners. “Your invaluable contributions have been instrumental in the success of this forum. Without your help and cooperation, this event will not even move an inch,” she added.

In his speech to the closing ceremony of IEYF, Taha Ayhan, ICYF President, said, ”a program that has proved that our youth are striving, working, planning and trying, to ensure that through all the darkness in the world, they are persistent to create light, that throughout the pain, they choose hope, and no matter how many obstacles they might face, they can, and they will”.

“IEYF which is part of the Indonesia Sharia Economic Festival, has demonstrated that through the youth present among us today who have been sitting for and attending the program, which consisted of two parts, the experience and knowledge sharing online sessions conducted for two weeks, where high level individuals, academicians, and experts met with these young minds for interactive lectures full of intriguing information and learning,” Taha Ayhan said in a speech read out by Dr. Mohamad Hazimeh, ICYF Director.

After that for the past week, the participants set for Caucus and Summit under the Model OIC Format Simulation Program: where they discussed, negotiated, and proposed their notions, ideas, opinions, and proposals on the issue of Islamic Entrepreneurship, Startups, SMEs, Finance and Economy, he added.

“If we look at it properly, this is a shootout to us all, organizations, member states, ministers, and all relevant government and non-governmental stakeholders that it is time for youth inclusion in policy and decision making,” he said.

“At the Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum, we believe in this vision and are dedicating our efforts towards achieving it with our partners amongst the OIC region, and on the international level as well. We are closely working with the OIC General Secretariat, member states, the UN relevant institutions, ICYF member organizations, Academic Associations, and any interested or concerned entity. We have our handouts to collaborate for the betterment of the youth and the Ummah.

“In that regard, at ICYF we have ensured that our programs are reaching the biggest amount of Muslim youth in OIC countries and the Muslim minorities abroad. With over 40 programs conducted per year, and tens of thousands of youth participating. With a belief that the sky is limit.

“ICYF’s programs vary in the prospective with same aims under the seven pillars of ICYF which are culture, networking, social awareness, economic empowerment, art, youth development and the environment.

“The programs include several flagships, may it be the newly established international incubation center in Istanbul, the OIC Youth Capital, Diplomacy Academy, and Model OIC Program,” he said.

“I would like to take the opportunity on this occasion to announce the soon to be launched Learning Management System and ICYF online Digital Academy,” he pointed out.

Above it all, ICYF devoted to the cause of Palestine, with the ongoing genocide in Gaza and the recent expansion to Lebanon.

Having deliberated the state and opportunities that exist within the global Islamic economy and finance sector, it is proposed the following points: Regional-multilateral cooperation, education and literacy, technology and innovation, MSMEs and NGOs collaboration, campaign and social engagement, Islamic social finance and halal industry.

 

*Mohammad Anthoni is a senior editor with Indonesia Window