Festival will unite young people in city

AN INTERNATIONAL festival aimed at bringing together young people from across the world is to be staged in Edinburgh.

Starting on Friday, the Middle East Youth Festival will be the first of its kind and will bring together young people from across Scotland, the United States, Jordan and Lebanon for a week-long programme of events.

It is designed to increase awareness of issues affecting youth in the Middle East.

The Global Citizen Corps, an initiative of Mercy Corps, is organising the event in partnership with the Edinburgh Middle East Festival of Peace and Spirituality.

Sarah Brown, project manager for Global Citizen Corps, said: "The festival will give teenagers here in Edinburgh an opportunity to meet other young people from the Middle East and discuss the key issues that affect them."

The festival will open with a photography exhibition on life for young people in Gaza.

Other events include a film screening and a schools summit.