The former Tunisian Minister of Family, Women and Childhood and a university professor specializing in sociology, as well as a poet with seven poetry collections and several prestigious awards, discusses the need for Arab and Islamic countries to become homelands where living, dreaming, achievement, and spending a lifetime are enjoyable. This is not a luxury or a mere wish but a necessity if these countries truly desire to continue existing as societies. In past decades, young people and other age groups, faced with limited prospects, corruption, and backwardness typical of the Third World, emigrated to countries with broader horizons, opportunities, and progress. Many talented individuals migrated to Europe and the West, depriving their home countries of benefiting from their expertise for development and modernization. This phenomenon is known as brain drain. Meanwhile, Europe heavily relied on Arab labor to build infrastructure and support vital sectors.

Today, the West no longer needs this labor and has closed doors to most youth except for some countries facing demographic aging that require specific specializations. Statistics show the West mainly seeks engineers and doctors from our countries, offering low wages and short-term contracts. For example, Tunisia loses engineers and doctors annually, which is troubling because young talents leave to benefit other societies after their home country invested in their education. Given the global economic crisis and rising unemployment in countries like France, migration is no longer the lucrative refuge it once was, except for exceptional talents. Thousands of young people travel annually to the West for university studies with hopes of professional stability, but face challenges including rising far-right movements and racial discrimination. The primary goal of migration under the guise of university study is often securing work and a future outside the homeland.

This dangerous phenomenon reflects a dream outside the homeland and the spread of migration as if competence cannot thrive locally. The article questions whether forced stay can build development and progress when top talents leave to advance other countries. The solution is not imposing conditions forcing youth to stay but transforming our countries into environments where competence can flourish, with integrated climates that support dreaming, progress, work, and fair financial and moral appreciation. What harm is there if we become societies where living, dreaming, working, and achieving are delightful?