Anna Lindh Foundation 15-Year Review 2005-2020
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Anna Lindh Foundation 15-Year Review 2005-2020 Co-funded by the European Union on the occasion of the 25th Anniversary of the EuroMediterranean Partnership 2005-2020 Anna Lindh Foundation 15-Year Review 2005-2020 Foreword by the ALF President In my capacity as President of the Anna Lindh Foundation, I present with pride the Review of the first 15 years of activity of the Foundation. As the first institution of the EuroMediterranean Partnership, it has responded since its creation in 2005 to the ambitious mandate given by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the region to promote closer human, cultural and social relationships between the people of the region. First and foremost, I would like to extend a warm and sincere thank you to the Member States of the EuroMed region and the European Commission that have trusted and entrusted the Anna Lindh Foundation, ensuring throughout its institutional life the needed political and financial support. I would like to recognize the value of the collaborations established with the UFM, UNESCO, League of Arab States, CMI and World Bank, the UNAoC, OCDE, OSCE, British Council, Club de Madrid, Unimed, Copeam—to name only a few of the partners who made it possible for the ALF to ensure long-term impact, reach and quality of its action. The ALF 15-Year Review testifies this achievement, but the best testimony comes from the stories of all the beneficiaries of the Foundation’s actions, many of whom, nearly a million, I have had the pleasure to meet personally throughout my mandate. I have also had the opportunity to meet with people from different cultural backgrounds in an effort to develop their skills and knowledge in relation to diversity management and intercultural communication; to conceive and implement collaboration projects within their society and across the region; to receive awards for the recognition of their efforts and commitment to dialogue work; and to support the strengthening of civil society in the different countries of the Partnership. The Anna Lindh Foundation has developed a rich programme of activity to add value to the rich, cultural diversity of the populations of the region, taking into consideration their needs and the potential offered by the civil society Network of organisations active in the forty-two EuroMed countries. Over the past 15 years, the Foundation has created the largest civil society Network in the region as foreseen in its statutes. Establishing a mechanism for structured dialogue at the national and regional level for representatives of civil society organisations from Europe, the Eastern Mediterranean and North Africa to regularly come together in person and virtually to coordinate their action, exchange information and learn from each other, replicating their practices at the regional level. Furthermore, every three years the ALF has successfully organized MEDForum, the largest EuroMed civil society gathering in the region. The Anna Lindh Review 2005-2020 4 Since its creation and since 2011, first with Young Arab Voices and then Young Mediterranean Voices, the ALF has identified young people as the main target group for its action and has worked on the empowerment of young women and men to become active members of their society, engaged for the promotion of dialogue, social cohesion and cooperation. These efforts have supported the setting up of capacity-building schemes, advocacy platforms, and exchange opportunities. Another result to highlight is the strengthening of EuroMed cooperation via the implementation of international projects. Since its establishment, the ALF has launched its Calls for Proposal grant schemes, resulting in the financial and technical support of hundreds of initiatives implemented via national or international consortia of organisations. Through these sustained collaborations, civil society organisations and beneficiaries have practiced dialogue, increased their mutual knowledge, exchanged practices and conveyed their learning to broader audiences. As per the most recent results of the Intercultural Trends Survey 2020, the majority of people North and South, East and West of the Mediterranean basin believe in the efficacy of dialogue measures and cooperation for the solution of many of the pressing challenges of their societies. These measures appear even more relevant since the outburst of the global Covid-19 pandemic, where physical barriers have been raised to contain the virus, but where international cooperation and solidarity are proving the best antidote. Mrs Elisabeth Guigou President of the Anna Lindh Foundation The Anna Lindh Review 2005-2020 5 Foreword by the ALF Executive Director Speaking of intercultural dialogue across the EuroMediterranean region in 2020 is in some ways completely different from dealing with this topic fifteen years ago when the Anna Lindh Foundation was created, and at the same time so much the same in relation to the fundamental needs that the Foundation has to address. As the Executive Director of the Anna Lindh Foundation, I feel invested with an im- portant responsibility of ensuring the appropriate transition of the organisation to the new phase of its programming cycle, which corresponds to a new phase in the way we not only cooperate internationally but, for all of us at the personal and collective level, ways we live. In 2020, the Coronavirus pandemic has exposed human beings to their vulnerability, in a very harsh way, but has also helped human beings to feel how we are all connected and interdependent, which is in the DNA of the Anna Lindh Foundation’s mission. Our scope at the Foundation in the past fifteen years has been to make people understand, feel and live how we are similar in many aspects, how to accept our differences and how these differences can help us live in a better and more sustainable society. At the beginning of the pandemic, emergency measures were taken in all sectors of society and the Anna Lindh Foundation took some immediate measures; however, nine months after its outburst, it is clear that we need to adapt our way of thinking and working to a situation that will last longer and whose effects might be long term. The pandemic has made more visible the challenges related to diversity and mutual perceptions through an increase in racism, prejudice and negative stereotypes. Par- ticular concerns refer to discrimination, hate speech, racial profiling and fake news, especially on social media. Border closures to contain infections and social distancing have constrained the pos- sibility for direct engagement, interaction and dialogue between people and lack of mobility opportunities is particularly frustrating for young people. The sudden shift from face-to-face to remote learning and virtual interactions have shed light on the digital divides that exist, the difficulties to adjust to new formats and reach all target groups. Civil society has faced difficulties to access funding, to plan within an unpredictable timeframe, and with acquiring the skills to turn planned work programmes into virtual ones. The Anna Lindh Review 2005-2020 6 However, the pandemic has also created some conditions that can favour dialogue work, as people had to step out of their comfort zone; there is a new space and need to rethink the way of promoting intercultural dialogue, intercultural learning and intercultural relations more broadly. We can count on the raising of solidarity initiatives and the media attention dedicated to these initiatives whose leaders are often young people, women and migrants—an important point to build the ALF message for dialogue and solidarity at the local and regional level. The interconnection of EuroMed societies is a historic fact and a vision for the future. We are calling for institutions, national and local governments, civil society organi- sations and citizens of this space to believe and invest in multilateralism and cooper- ation. The ALF 15-Year Review will show all its achievements during the past fifteen years in this direction. Together with the Anna Lindh Foundation Virtual Marathon for Dialogue in the EuroMed region, launched in 2020 on the 25th Anniversary of the Barcelona Process, we consider advocating for more intercultural dialogue to be an essential tool for the cultural, social, human and environmental development of the EuroMed societies. Dr Nabil Al Sharif Executive Director of the Anna Lindh Foundation The Anna Lindh Review 2005-2020 7 CONTENTS Foreword by the ALF President 4 Foreword by the ALF Executive Director 6 OVERVIEW 11 Milestones 12 Key Figures 14 The Anna Lindh Network 16 THE ALF IN ACTION 21 Arts for Dialogue 22 Education: Training and Resources for Intercultural Citizenship 24 Media: Cross-Cultural Reporting Shaping Mutual Perceptions 26 Research: Intercultural Trends for Evidence-Based Action and Advocacy 28 Youth: Debates, Exchanges and Participation 30 Women: Fighting Cultural and Gender Stereotyping 34 The Anna Lindh Mediterranean Forum 36 Campaigns: Mobilising Civil Society for Dialogue 38 Partnerships and Awards: Creating Synergies 40 Funding Schemes: Supporting International Collaborations 42 Resources and Publications 45 THE ALF NETWORKS ACROSS THE EUROMED 47 GOVERNANCE, MANAGEMENT AND FINANCING 169 Governance and Management 170 Anna Lindh Foundation Multicultural Team 176 Member States Contributions 178 Contributions and Expenditures 179 9 Overview Overview Overview MILESTONES 2011 Tunis Exchange Forum and 1995 The Barcelona Declaration ‘Young Arab Voices’ debate programme establishes the EuroMediterranean