Program encourages minority youths to vote
Project aims to combat discouragement, rally young Arabs and Druze to exercise their electoral rights and influence their future.
A new program has a message for young Arabs and Druze: Go vote.
The drop in voter turnout in Israeli elections has been especially noticeable in the Arab sector. Over the last decade, only about half of the sector's eligible voters exercised their right to vote.
This bleak statistic caused the Ma'ase Center, which provides programs for Arab and Druze youths, to launch a campaign aiming to encourage voting among minority groups.
"If we want to change reality for our sector, we cannot sit on our hands and put the responsibility on Israeli society," said Abeer Souad, 20, from Hussniyya. "We must rise up, vote, and influence." Souad participates in the "Ofek" program, in which about 220 young Arabs engage in social initiative in the north.
"We feel that we're part of the country, and like any citizen who has duties and rights, we need to exercise our right to vote and influence the way the country is run," said Amir Gabdan, 18, of Acre. "Some people feel defeated and believe their vote has no real effect, but if everyone thinks that way, there will be no one to represent us."
Another program to encourage young people to vote in the upcoming elections is "Ne'urim", which is directed at the Druze sector and has over 3,000 participants.
"I'm exempt from military service and decided to volunteer for a year in a community project," said Maisa Khatib, 24, of Beit Jann, a member of the program's alumni association. "I accompany the young volunteers and we talk a great deal about social involvement and about the election campaign."
"Although not all the students have voting rights, it's important for us to make them interested and encourage social involvement already at a young age," said Mais Murad of Beit Jann.
"Participation by youths in a year of volunteer work in all sectors develops civic and political awareness and causes young people to get up and take part in elections with the goal of shaping their destiny and the destiny of their communities," said Yossi Malka, CEO of the Ma'ase Center.
