Deadline: 30-Apr-23
If you are a young active person from the Middle East Mediterranean region or Europe with an interest in the region and social engagement, and you are willing to discuss and debate pressing issues and collaborate on across border projects with participants coming from all over the region then apply to participate in the MEM Summer Summit.
Università della Svizzera italiana launched the MEM Summer Summit in 2018, in collaboration with the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Division of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs that is one of the main partners. The acronym MEM stands for the extended region of the Mediterranean and the Middle East (from Morocco to Iran) and it refers to a complex and heterogenous geopolitical and cultural space that has undergone and is still undergoing profound and rapid changes. The MEM Summer Summit aims to develop new approaches, different narratives, as well as new projects that transcend physical and cultural boundaries between communities on all shores of the MEM region and beyond with the active contribution of the young participants, called young change-makers. Furthermore, the Summit aims to create a safe space for the young change-makers to meet, to exchange experiences, to collaborate and to build a common understanding.
Thematic Streams
The Seminar, exclusively devoted to the young change-makers, offers a series of plenary lectures, participatory workshops, brainstorming sessions, working groups, and cultural activities. It is articulated around three main thematic streams:
- Geopolitics and leadership;
- Good governance, policy making, and citizenship;
- Cultural narratives.
The working groups, an important part of the Summit’s unique methodology, are led by a team of experts from the region, with diverse experience in different fields. They guide the participants through a facilitation process that supports the creation of a safe space for open dialogue, brings the discussions to a deeper level and identifies ideas that are elaborated during the Summit and beyond.
A limited number of partial or full grants, offered by sponsors, are available for participating in the MEM Summer Summit 2023. The full grants cover participation and accommodation costs, and travel expenses; partial grants cover participation and accommodation costs.
Detail
- The Seminar: 17 – 25 August 2023
- The Forum: 26 August 2023
Eligibility Criteria
- The MEM Summer Summit welcomes applications from candidates:
- aged between 25 and 35
- from the Middle East Mediterranean region and Europe with a proven interest in the region and social engagement
- with diverse educational backgrounds and work experience (business, media, human rights, non-governmental organisations, politics, technology, culture, art, entertainment, creative industries, social entrepreneurship, education, and research)
- interested and willing to collaborate on across border projects with participants coming from all over the region
- with a strong knowledge of English; knowledge of French is an asset
- Please note that the places in presence for the Summit are limited. After the Selection Committee has evaluated all applications, all candidates will be informed about the results via email.
- All selected participants who confirm their participation are expected to attend all Seminar and Forum activities and be punctual.
For more information, visit Seminar Programme and Speakers.