Lowering voting age is an important achievement, official

Lowering the voting age from 20 to 18 is an "important achievement" and the "only democratic means" for young people to express their opinion, said Sunday Secretary of State in charge of Youth, Mohamed El Gahs.

Commenting on the decision made last November to lower voting age from 20 to 18, El Gahs told a TV program this right will allow young people to convey their wishes to decision-makers and contribute to the progress of their country. The Secretary of State called on the youth to participate massively in elections, stressing the youth "does not have the right to renounce contributing to the construction of democracy." As to the action programs of the Youth department, the official said a "holidays for all" operation was launched this year to raise the number of the youth profiting from holiday camps from 49,000 to 100,000.

In the same connection, the Youth department has decided to create 500 libraries and 63 information centers to centralize all information that might help young people to choose their careers, school and university orientation.