Arab youths are considerably more optimistic about the future than are their Western peers, according to the first ASDA'A Burson-Marsteller Arab Youth Survey commissioned by ASDA'A Burson-Marsteller, the leading public relations consultancy in the Middle East. Just 34 percent of Western youth feel their country is heading in the right direction, according to the survey. In contrast, Arab youths are considerably more optimistic, with 52 percent arguing their country is on the right course. Among the Middle East states surveyed, 65 percent of Saudi youths, 60 percent of Jordanian youth and 57 percent of Emirati youths feel their country is heading in the right direction. The survey of 1,800 young people between the ages of 18-24 was carried out in six Middle East states and three Western nations, and was unveiled on Tuesday by ASDA'A Burson-Marsteller, which has been formally relaunched within the global Burson-Marsteller network. The rising cost of living and overall economic outlook is the overriding concern for both groups, including 43 percent of Western youths and 30 percent of their peers in the Arab world. Within the Middle East, Jordanian youths expressed the greatest level of fear for their financial security, with 42 percent highlighting this area. By comparison, just 23 percent of Qatari youth cited the rising cost of living and overall economic outlook as a central challenge. While the survey shows that young people in the Middle East and the West share similar concerns - about the economy, their ability to live in a good area and stay in touch with their family - nowhere is the contrast between Arab and Western youth more pronounced than when examining the importance of religious belief. Some 68 percent of Middle East youth say that religion defines them as a person, compared to just 16 percent in the West. “Today's generation of young people, born as the Cold War was winding to a close and coming of age in a geopolitical landscape defined by the events of Sept. 11 and its aftermath, are the first to be raised in a truly globalized environment,” said Burson-Marsteller Global CEO Mark Penn, former advisor to US President Bill Clinton and author of the recent bestseller Microtrends: The Small Forces Behind Tomorrow's Big Changes, who presented the findings on Tuesday in Dubai. “This important study of the hopes, fears and aspirations of Arab and Western youth demonstrates how both groups are adapting to the forces of change - and how their values are evolving over time.” Following the presentation in Dubai, ASDA'A Burson-Marsteller hosted the same evening a high-profile roundtable discussion, chaired by Mark Penn, examining the challenges and opportunities facing the youth of this dynamic region. Additional participants in the discussion included: Mohamed Alabbar, chairman, Emaar Properties; Hassan Fattah, deputy editor, The National; Saudi Arabian academic and playwright Dr. Maisah Sobaihi; and Mohammed Saeed Harib, managing director of Lammtara Productions and creator and producer of the animated sitcom Freej. “This fascinating study shows that Arab youth are generally more conservative than their Western peers. They are also far more idealistic and optimistic about the future,” said Joseph Ghossoub, president & CEO of The Holding Group. “The strategic realignment between ASDA'A and Burson-Marsteller creates a winning combination of unmatched local experience and truly global reach,” said Jeremy Galbraith, chief executive officer, Burson-Marsteller Europe, Middle East and Africa. “This landmark study, which examines trends in the West and Arab world, is indicative of the standard of best practice consultancy we provide to clients here in the Middle East and across the world.” “Sixteen years after our agency first opened its doors in Dubai, we are very pleased to mark our relaunch by sharing these critical insights with the regional and international community,” said Sunil John, chief executive officer, ASDA'A Burson-Marsteller. “Here in the Middle East, where one in five people is between the ages of 15-24, understanding this vital demographic is more important than ever. Comparing and contrasting these findings with the survey results from the West provides additional powerful insights.” In September 2008, Penn, Schoen & Berland Associates, Inc. (PSB) and The Nielsen Company conducted some 1,800 interviews with respondents between the ages of 18-24 in six Middle East nations (Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates) and three Western countries (Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States). Piyush Mathur, Nielsen's regional managing director - Middle East, North Africa and Pakistan, said: “The Arab Youth Survey is one of the largest studies of youth to have been conducted in the region, in terms of scope and respondent numbers. By comparing attitudes in the region and the West, the study also provides unique insights for a variety of audiences, especially marketers and the communications industry.” __
