Europe in Israel

The EU Delegation to Israel has published the second edition of its electronic newsletter “Europe in Israel”, highlighting the new ‘blue card’ system for skilled foreign workers in the EU.

 

The newsletter – published in English and Hebrew – leads with an article on the directive adopted by the Council of the European Union on May 25, aimed at making it easier for third country citizens to live and work in the EU for the purpose of highly qualified employment, through the EU ‘blue card’. 

 

View newsletter for more details.

‘Virtual Journey’

The EU’s action to fight poverty around the world, driven by the UN Millennium Development Goals, are described in a lively and interactive webpage available on the EuropeAid website, mainly aiming to mobilize citizens in member states. Hosted by “Jack and Kate” the webpage includes a ‘virtual journey’  based on real-life situations, a downloadable video on ‘Music Against Poverty’ and a section on “How to get involved”.

Want to find out more? Click here for more details.

Children’s Messages on Gender

An eight-year-old from Egypt and a ten-year-old from Algeria are the winners for the Mediterranean region of EuropeAid’s third drawing competition on gender equality, the organisers of the competition have announced.

 

The competition, launched on International Women’s Day on 8 March, is aimed at motivating children from the EU’s partner countries to participate in an exercise of awareness on the role of women in society. Children from EU countries made up the jury.

 

To read more, click here.

Winning picture gallery is available to view on this link.

 

Official Launch of Eurojar Media Project

The EU-funded Eurojar media project is officially being launched in Beirut on 24 June, with a press conference and multimedia presentation in the presence of EU and local officials.

 

According to a press release from the project, the event will feature speeches by EU Head of Delegation in Beirut Ambassador Patrick Laurent and Lebanese Information Minister Tarek Mitri, as well as video link ups with the European Commission in Brussels and other EU Delegations across the region, and presentations by the project partners, with video spots about their work.

 

Read more here.

EuroMed News organises TV magazine workshop

The EU funded EuroMed News project is conducting a workshop on TV magazine co-production in Algiers this week.

 

A press release said the workshop would lead to the production of four special episodes of the EuroMed News TV magazine. Three of the four episodes will approach a variety of themes, while the fourth will be devoted to women, showcasing case histories, EU programmes to help women in the labour market and social initiatives against violence and harassment.

 

The EuroMed News project aims to broaden knowledge about the EU’s policies in the region and the relationship between the EU and individual Mediterranean countries. Spearheaded by France Televisions, it brings together broadcasters in Europe and in Algeria, Jordan, Libya, Syria, Morocco and Lebanon. Together, they will produce 300 news features, 40 short current affairs programmes and nine 26-minute documentaries about North African society and the economy.

 

Read more here.

Regional Project focuses on Women and Work

An EU funded regional project has got under way in Tunisia, Egypt and Jordan aiming to help young women entering the employment market.

 

A press release posted on the Tunisian EU Delegation website said the ‘Women and Work’ programme was cofinanced by the European Training Foundation – a specialised EU agency – and would be focusing on two key sectors in the three countries, information and communication technologies and tourism.

 

To read more, click here.

Gender Equality Programme publication: Ministerial Conclusions on Strengthening the Role of Women in Society

The EU-funded Gender Equality Programme – Enhancing Equality between Men and Women in the EuroMed Region – has produced a trilingual publication outlining the Ministerial Conclusions on strengthening the role of women in society from the 2006 the Euro-Mediterranean Ministerial Conference.

 

More on the Gender Equalty Programme is available here.

View Publication.

Youth in Lebanon and Jordan promote cultural heritage through EuroMed Heritage project

In the latest of its series of Eurojar features, the Lebanese daily L’Orient Le Jour has published an article highlighting the initiative of the EU funded project “Foundations for a Strong Future: Youth in Lebanon and Jordan Promote Cultural Heritage” to involve young Lebanese and Jordanians in the promotion of their cultural heritage.

 

The article reports that 60 Lebanese and 72 Jordanian young people have been selected to participate in the project and will receive training on cultural heritage and the use of different media (video and photo cameras, internet…) as such multimedia will be used in the promotion of cultural heritage. “This project will focus on the musical or culinary heritage of a region, or even a dance. We wanted to avoid the major monuments that are already known,” explains Dahlia Khoury, project manager for Mercy Corps in Lebanon.

 

Click here to read more.

 

An alternative gaze on Mediterranean cooperation

The European Cultural Foundation and Babelmed launched last year a cycle of interviews with artists, creators, cultural operators from the Maghreb and the Middle-east in order to question the dynamics and the relationships created by the Euro-Mediterranean co-operation.

The ECF explore areas that play a key role on the cultural map. The Mediterranean is one of them. So, together with regional partners we explored the ins and outs of cultural cooperation. This book is the result. It is available online and as hard copy. 

More information on the book is available here.

The Jerusalem of Palestinian Artists

All born in Jerusalem, they are part of the first generation of artists. Some portray the city they have always lived in. Others, in exile, lay on a canvas their childhood memories or their claims.

Ranging from figurative to abstract style, from the 60’s to the 80’s, “Jerusalem, Lexicon of Colours” collects works with various styles and from different periods, where the Israeli occupation of East Jerusalem in 1967 marks a fracture.

To read more and view some of the art work click here.

Youth In Action

The EU’s Youth in Action programme has published a call for proposals for a number of actions, including one specifically aimed at Neighbourhood Partners.

 

The relevant sub-action (3.1) supports projects involving Neighbouring Partner Countries and lasting up to 15 months, “namely Youth Exchanges and Training and Networking Projects in the youth field”. The sub-action has a budget for 2009 of €8,121,000. The Youth in Action Programme has an overall budget of €885 million for the period 2007-2013.

 

The Youth in Action programme is the EU’s mobility and non-formal education programme targeting young people aged between 13 and 30 years.

 

For further information and details on calls for proposals, click here.

Train the Trainers

The Partnership on Youth between the European Commission and the Council of Europe together with the Human Rights Center in the Beirut Arab University are organising a training for trainers on human rights education.

 

The training will take place in Lebanon at the Beirut Arab University in Debbiye from 21-29 June 2009. It will be based on the ‘Compass’ manual on human rights education, with young people presenting background concepts essential to human rights education as well as practical activities and methods for use in both formal and non-formal education contexts.

 

 

The training course is open for participants from Lebanon, Jordan, Palestinian Authority, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and the Gulf states and for participants from the member states of the Council of Europe (including all the member states of the European Union).

 

Click here for more information on the training course.

Gender Equality Programme publishes second issue of newsletter

The Euro-Med Gender Equality Programme has published the second issue of ‘Gender Dynamics’, its quarterly newsletter.

 

The main article is an interview with Dr. Farkhonda Hassan, Secretary General of the National Council for Women in Egypt, who highlights the possibilities of cooperation between the Council and the programme, the added value of the Istanbul Ministerial Conference on ‘Strengthening the Role of Women in Society’, and the strengths and achievements of the Council.

 

To view the Newsletter, click here

CIUDAD Programme Announced

The Service Procurement Notice for a Supporting Mechanism to the CIUDAD (cooperation in urban development and dialogue) programme has been published (reference EuropeAid/127426/C/SER/MULTI). This contract will be dealing with the countries participating in the ENPI South and East.

  

The overall objective of CIUDAD is “to promote mutual understanding, dialogue and cooperation between local actors in the EU and in the partner countries of the Neighbourhood region (ENPI region) through the provision of capacity building for the modernisation and strengthening of local and regional government.”

Participation is open to legal persons established in an EU Member State or in a country or territory of the regions covered by the specific instruments applicable to the programme under which the contract is financed. It is also open to international organisations and networks of cities/local authorities.

 

The deadline for receipt of applications is Friday, 12 June 2009, 16:00 CET.

  

More information on this tender, including participation, exclusion criteria and selection and award criteria, as well as application rules, can be found in the service procurement notice available here.

BBC in EU-funded training for Nablus TV journalists‏

The BBC World Service Trust has successfully completed a two-week specialised training course in television news production at Nablus television station in the West Bank, as part of the EU-funded ‘Support to the Palestinian Media Sector’ project.

 

A press release said the training focused on the skills of news reporting and the production of news stories, with participants producing 11 news reports by the time training was completed. The TV training was complemented by an online course entitled ‘Introduction to Journalism, Accuracy, Impartiality and Fairness and Straight Dealing’, which was accessed via the BBC’s iLearn training resource.

 

Click here for more information

Medimed ‘09

From 9 to 11 october 2009, will take place Medimed festival in Sitges (Spain), in front of the Mediterranean Sea, to celebrate the 10th birthday of this euro-med documentary market.

Medimed will present a selection of documentary projects and programmes, aiming to enhance the professional and creative exchange between the 12 MEDA countries and the European Union.

Until June 30th 2009, the Mediterranean Producer’s Association (Apimed), with the financial support of the MEDIA Programme of the European Union, is calling for entries of:

- New productions: documentary, any length & genre produced in 2008 or 2009
- New projects: documentary, any length & genre having in place 25% of the finance in place (minimum), and/or a broadcast guarantee, and/or a co-production agreement.

For further information on costs/deadlines e.t.c, please click here.

Marrakech’s ESAV: an open cultural space

Talents flourish on the Southern coast of the Mediterranean and Moroccan directors and artists are there to remind us.  However there is a  need for training and education and production and diffusion conditions are still lacking. To make up for this shortage, and in particular for the absence of high level professional training schools for cinema, television, multimedia and graphic design, the ESAV (Superior School of Visual Arts) was created three years ago.

The ESAV is also a cultural space open to the public and to Marrakesh’s various cultural figures. Viewings are screened each evening followed by animated debates between students, teachers and professionals of the film industry.  This place of crossing and exchange also allows to get acquainted with the various artistic practices, thanks to the permanent presence of international artists in residence: graphic designers, plastic artists, choreographers, musicians…

To find out more, click here.

Greenhouse film project invites submissions for 2009 seminars

The Greenhouse project was one of 12 selected by the EU in the framework of the EuroMed Audiovisual II Programme. It fosters documentary filmmaking in the MEDA countries by organising a year-long seminar where filmmakers with projects for development work with highly professional personal mentors.

 

Projects selected will be invited to participate in the programme, composed of three seminars in which they will develop a full international production file and a professional trailer. The deadline for application is June 1, 2009.

Requirements and entry forms

‘Eurojar Project’

The EuropeAid-funded ‘Eurojar’ project has published a series of articles on EU-Mediterranean cooperation in the Lebanese daily paper L’Orient Le Jour.

 

The three features published so far deal with the Euro-Med Market project and prospects for a Euro-Mediterranean free trade area, the European Neighbourhood Policy, and EU efforts to preserve Arab film heritage through the Euromed Audiovisual programme.

 

Eurojar is one of 13 projects funded by EuropeAid’s €19 million Regional Information and Communication Programme that seeks to increase awareness and understanding among the citizens of the ENPI area, of the EU, its policies and relations with their countries. The Eurojar budget amounts to €1.5 million and the project will last for one year.

To view further information on the projects, please click on Eurojar

Conflict-resolution films to be produced under EU-funded project

Six films on conflict resolution are to be produced and distributed to Palestinian schools and universities as a result of the EU-funded ‘Peace Education through Modern Media’ project conducted by AlQuds Educational TV / the Institute of Modern Media / AlQuds University, in partnership with the Center for Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation.

A press release said the project, which has just concluded, aimed to raise awareness on the importance of communication to solve conflicts in the Palestinian society. It conducted training on conflict resolution and scriptwriting targeted at school and university students, teachers and media professionals. The best were chosen to write scripts for shortdrama films on conflict resolution.

To find out more, go to: http://www.euromedinfo.eu/site.170.news.en.5642.html

A Goal for Peace: Palestinian Football Team in Brussels Friendly

The Palestinian national football team is to play a friendly with FC Molenbeek Brussels at the Belgian team’s stadium on 6 May, in an event funded by the European Commission (EC).

 

An EC press release said the game was part of events organised to mark the 60th anniversary of UNRWA (the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East).

To view more information on this upcoming events, go to: http://www.euromedinfo.eu/site.168.news.en.5621.html

EU Delegation in Israel launches electronic newsletter

The EU Delegation to Israel is now publishing its newsletter ‘Europe in Israel’ in an electronic format.

 The new electronic newsletter – published in English and Hebrew – contains a balance of news about the European Neighbourhood Policy, EU-Israel relations and events, and stories from inside the European Union itself. 

 Its first edition leads with an article on the Eastern Partnership, due to be launched with the EU’s Eastern Neighbours on May 7, followed by an article on EU proposals for achieving a new international deal on climate change. It also includes reports from the Jerusalem International Oud Festival, supported by the Delegation, and an EU-Israel Media Dialogue, which brought together a group of European and Israeli journalists to discuss the media’s coverage of the recent conflict in Gaza.

To view the newslestter, go to: http://www.delisr.ec.europa.eu/eu-news/index.cfm

Women’s programme organises meeting on gender-based violence

The EU-funded regional programme Enhancing Equality between Men and Women in the EuroMed Region is organising a regional meeting on gender-based violence in Tunis from 20 to 23 April.

A press release from the programme said the meeting – on ‘Gender-based violence (GBV) research: Concepts, data, methodology and tools’ – would bring together participants representing producers and users of data on GBV and programme implementers, as well as international and regional stakeholders, representatives of ministries and national women’s machineries, civil society organisations and the media.

To read more, go to: http://www.euromedinfo.eu/site.169.news.en.5606.html

EuroMed-News: A Joint European and Mediterranean Media Project

European Commissioner for External Relations and the ENP Benita Ferrero-Waldner has launched the EuroMed News project, which aims to broaden knowledge about the EU’s policies in the region and the relationship between the EU and individual Mediterranean countries.

The Commissioner said the project was “above all aimed at reinforcing intercultural dialogue with our partners in the neighbourhood to the south”, adding it was not only an instrument for greater visibility but a means of promoting press freedom.

 

Spearheaded by France Televisions, EuroMed-News, brings together broadcasters in Europe and in Algeria, Jordan, Libya, Syria, Morocco and Lebanon. Together, they will produce 300 news features, 40 short current affairs programmes and nine 26-minute documentaries about North African society and the economy.

For more information on the project, go to: http://www.euromedinfo.eu/site.168.news.en.5599.html

Baltic International Summer School (BISS): Search for partners

The BISS will be holding a forum on:

STORIES FROM A COUNTRY IN BETWEEN:

SPOTTING THE CULTURAL DIFFERENCES AND SIMILARITIES IN EUROPE

Date: 1-19 July 2009

Where: Taking place in Valmiera, Lativia.

Search for Partners: A Latvian University is currently looking for partners from within the Mediterranean region: Universities, NGO’s, associations concerned with the subject – project will cover the traveling, subsistence, programme costs for international partners who will share their perspective in the summer school programme.

If you’re interested, reply back to: liga.tuca@va.lv by April 15, 2009.

For more information on the event, go to: http://biss.va.lv/about-us

MEDITERRANEAN JOURNALIST AWARD LAUNCHED DURING THE UN ALLIANCE OF CIVILIZATIONS FORUM

International dialogue forum involving UN Secretary Ban Ki-moon kicks off with unveiling of the Anna Lindh Foundation’s regional media prize.  On the opening morning of the United Nations Alliance of Civilisations Forum, the world’s premier event and gathering for intercultural dialogue, the 2009 edition of the Mediterranean Journalist Award was officially launched.

For more detailed informatio, go to: http://www.euromedalex.org/news/mediterranean-journalist-award-launched-during-un-alliance-civilizations-forum

 

Tempus issues statistics on proposals

The Tempus IV programme has issued statistics on proposals submitted and received, broken down by Partner Country.

 

Of the ENPI South countries, Egypt and Morocco had the most number of proposals submitted, 78 and 66 respectively, and selected (7 and 9). The tables also break down the proposals by national and multi-country consortia and mark the success rate by country.

 

The Tempus programme supports the modernisation of higher education and creates an area of co-operation in countries outside the EU. Established in 1990, the scheme covers 28 countries in the Western Balkans, Eastern Europe, Central Asia, North Africa and the Middle East.

To view statistics, go to: http://www.euromedinfo.eu/site.169.news.en.5443.html

Morocco making progress towards enterprise framework

Morocco is making steady progress in building an effective enterprise policy framework, but could develop further by better coordinating policies and programmes, by implementing measures across the whole country and by developing an evaluation culture.

 

These were the broad conclusions of a pilot exercise to evaluate implementation of the Euro-Mediterranean Charter for Enterprise, presented to a meeting of key stakeholders in Rabat. The four-hour meeting was attended by 50 organisations and received considerable media coverage.

To read more, go to: http://www.euromedinfo.eu/site.168.news.en.5479.html

 

EU heads of state reiterate support to Union for the Mediterranean

The EU heads of state or government have called for the acceleration of the work to establish the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) permanent secretariat and the resumption of the implementation of projects identified.

The European Council has reiterated its support to strengthening the partnership with the southern Mediterranean partners in its conclusions adopted March 20. The relevant reference reads:

 

‘The European Council reiterates its will to strengthen its partnership with its southern Mediterranean partners. It calls for the resumption of the implementation of the projects identified at the Paris Summit. In this connection it is important to accelerate work on the establishment of the Union for the Mediterranean permanent secretariat in Barcelona.’

To read more, go to: http://www.euromedinfo.eu/site.168.news.en.5481.html

Relations between the EU and ENP partner states highlighted through stories from the field – New publications

Relations between the EU and its partners participating in the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) are becoming stronger, and cooperation is expanding in a number of fields.

In order to illustrate and explain this cooperation, DG External Relations have produced six leaflets giving examples of actions taken on the ground.

These are:

• Challenges without borders
• People power
• In the business of prosperity
• Fairness matters
• Thriving on knowledge
• Common interests, shared values

For more detailed information, go to: http://www.euromedinfo.eu/site.168.news.en.5462.html

Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network

 The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network (EMHRN) is:

• A network of more than 80 human rights organisations, institutions and individuals based in 30 countries in the Euro-Mediterranean region
• It was established in 1997 in response to the Barcelona Declaration and the establishment of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership
• With a membership adhering to universal human rights principles and convinced of the value of cooperation and dialogue across and within borders

For more Information on the EMHRN, go to: http://www.euromedrights.net/frontpage

Five new EuroMeSCo Papers cover issues relating to: Israel, Multilateral cooperation, Immigration, Tunisia and the UfM

EuroMeSco has released five new Papers dealing with interesting issues, from migrants in Israel and flexible multilateralism in the framework of the Euro-Med partnership, to national immigration policies and their development in relation to the Euro-Med process, Tunisia and the Maghreb Union and from Barcelona to the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM).

To view these papers, go to: http://www.euromedinfo.eu/site.171.news.en.5416.html

Ebru: Reflections on Cultural Diversity in Turkey

This “impossible dream”, turned successively into an “ambitious project” and a “quest”, lasted seven long years and was made possible by several foundations, associations and corporate entities in Turkey and elsewhere. No less than twenty-three authors offer their comments. The resulting book is monumental not only in size (450 pages, 31 x 29 cm) but above all par the sociological and political meaning of the underlying research.

As a matter of fact, to illustrate through photographs and texts that today’s Turkish population is composed not only of a majority of Sunni Muslims, but also of a multitude of other ethnic and religious groups, was tantamount to political provocation in the country’s current political context.

For more information on Ebru (which is well worth a read!), copy and paste this link: http://tinyurl.com/cf8te4

Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner: women’s rights high on EU’s global agenda

Empowerment of women remains high on the EU’s global agenda, with European Commissioner for External Relations and Neighbourhood Policy Benita Ferrero-Waldner reiterating the EU’s commitment to fight for equality, according to a Commission press release.

Marking International Women’s Day on March 8, she said: “I am well aware that the full empowerment of women is still a distant call for many women around the world… We cannot step down our game until each and every woman’s rights are respected and protected throughout the world.” The Commissioner underlined the need “to invest in the future by involving children in the process and raising their awareness on gender equality issues.”

To view the press release, go to: http://www.euromedinfo.eu/site.168.news.en.5411.html

The Yacoubian Building-available now on BBC iPlayer

The Yacoubian Building is an Egyptian Drama based on the novel by Alaa Al Aswany and set in the early 1990s.  The film offers a scathing portrayal of modern Egyptian society since the coup d’etat of 1952.  The setting is downtown Cairo, with the renouned apartment building serving as both a metaphor for contemporary Egypt and a unifying location in which most of the primary characters either live or work and in which much of the action takes place.

The Egyptian film sports some of the most renouned Middle Eastern actors such as Adel Imam, Youssra and Nour el Sherif.  After premiering at the Berlin Film Festival in 2006, the film opened in Egypt in June. The Yacoubian Building was Egypt’s official submission to the 79th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film. 

It’s a must-watch film, reflecting the truths of modern-day Egyptian society. 

Currently it is showing on BBC iPlayer until the 12th of March.  To view, go to: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00j0gnp/b00jcfl2/The_Yacoubian_Building/

Reminder: POLSIS Conference on EU Democracy Promotion in the Middle East

A one-day conference on ‘Europe and Progressive Islamist Movements: Perceptions of Democratisation in the Middle East’ will be held at the University of Birmingham, UK, on Friday 6 March, 2009.

The Political Science and International Studies (POLSIS) Department at The University of Birmingham will be launching an Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) project website on Paradoxes and Contradictions in EU Democracy Promotion Efforts in the Middle East. 

The funded research project has been awarded to Dr Michelle Pace, a network member.

The research  project came into effect on February 2008 and will run until February 2011.

For more information on the Conference day’s itenary and the research project, go to:

http://www.eumena.bham.ac.uk/programme.shtml

MEDIA International Call for Proposals

A Call for Proposals (2009/C 31/10) has been published under the ‘MEDIA International’ Preparatory Action, aimed at strengthening cooperation between audiovisual industries of third countries and European countries.

 

The Call, consisting of five separate Lots (training, distribution, promotion, screening and audience), is designed to address the three main objectives of the Preparatory Action MEDIA International:

• Exchange of information and knowledge of audiovisual markets;
• Competitiveness and distribution;
• Circulation.

More information, including the work programme and guidelines, application forms to the different Lots, and contact persons can be found by clicking here:  http://tinyurl.com/ce4uxx

The deadline for the submission of Proposals is 2 June 2009. 

André Azoulay comes to London

Convening in London, the Anna Lindh Foundation’s Advisory Council warn of the impact of the Gaza war and the economic crisis on civil society in the Euro-Mediterranean space, and endorse a programme of action aimed at restoring trust and rebuilding bridges in the region.

 

To read more on the event, go to: http://tinyurl.com/cgoyrc

‘Conflict Reporting and Media Perspectives’ in post-Gaza: 16-17 February 2009

Media practitioners gathered in London to discuss “conflict reporting and media perspectives” after Gaza. 

For the first time since the war in Gaza, more than a hundred journalists, academics and experts from Europe and the Middle East met in London to discuss how the media reported on this war, and to assess the impact on public opinion in Europe and the Arab-Muslim world.

 

The forum was organized by the Anna Lindh Foundation in partnership with the European Commission, the Arab Media Center (University of Westminster), the Foreign Press Association, Chatham House and the Alliance of Civilizations (UN), to discuss the intensification of polarized perceptions after the conflict and analyzed the different, even contradictory, approaches in media reporting.

 

To read more, go to: http://tinyurl.com/avycoe

Around the World in 80 Faiths: Part 4-The Middle East

Pete Owen Jones’s epic journey exploring the world’s beliefs continues in the Middle East, where he encounters an unknown side to a land scarred by religious strife.

In a moving and at times disturbing film, Pete travels to Israel where he meets the African-Americans who have settled in the Holy Land to live by the principles of the Old Testament – including polygamy. He travels to Syria to explore Islam and meet the Sufi Whirling Dervishes, to Samaria to witness the 3000-year-old Passover sacrifice, and to northern Iraq to track down the ancient and obscure Yazidi sect, who have a curious reputation for devil worship.

Pete also visits Jerusalem, revered as the ultimate city of spiritual power, where he takes part in two great rituals – the Christian Via Dolorosa and the Jewish Purim festival.

His journey is full of uncomfortable revelations about the roots of religious intolerance, but ends with a redemptive message of peace.

The documentary is available on BBC iplayer (accessible only within the UK) until 27th February 2009.  To view the programme, go to: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00h35t7/Around_the_World_in_80_Faiths_The_Middle_East/

Call for proposals for cultural activities in Egypt launched

The Delegation of the European Commission in Egypt has launched the annual call for proposals for cultural activities in Egypt. A total of € 250.000 will be awarded to projects that promote the dialogue and exchange between cultures, the mutual understanding and the visibility of the Euro-Mediterranean partnership.

All information is available on the following internet sites:

EC Delegation’s web-site: www.delegy.ec.europa.eu
EuropeAid’s web-site: http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/work/funding/index_en.htm

The Guidelines for Applicants are available for consultation at:  

Delegation of the European Commission in Egypt
            37, Gamaet El Dowal El Arabeya St.
            El Fouad Office Bldg., 11th floor (Documentation Centre)
            Mohandessin, Giza (Cairo)

The reference for the call is: EuropeAid/128030/L/ACT/EG

The deadline for submission of proposals is Wednesday 1 April at 12:00h (Cairo time).

An information session of this call for proposals will be held on Wednesday 4 March at 12:00h at the Delegation of the European Commission in Egypt.

Re-launch of Euro-Med Youth Platform website

The Euro-Med Youth Platform has re-launched its website to provide a “fresh, revamped and more user-friendly” portal.

The Euro-Med Youth Platform, launched in September 2003, aims at bringing young people from both shores of the Mediterranean together in an environment of tolerance and mutual understanding, facilitating networking, assisting in capacity building, increasing participation, sharing relevant information, and exchanging good practice. Its main financial contributors are the European Commission and the government of Malta.

To view the ‘fresh and revamped’ website, go to:  http://www.euromedp.org/

 

EMYAN: Euro-Med Young Artists Network

EMYAN is a youth initiative established in January 2007 to provide its members operating in the Euro-Mediterranean cultural field with a vehicle for communication, and a clear and distinct voice with the purpose to support the young artists’ creativity.  It is also considered the first initiative coming from the south to promote Euro-Med cooperation.
The idea behind EMYAN is to facilitate/promote/encourage communications between young artists/culture institutes of Europe and the Mediterranean countries in order to have a great impact on the communities of these countries; so it’s all about the relation between art and community with the link - young artists.

To view information on their current network members, opportunities to participate and upcoming events, go to: www.emyan.org

Sitcom co-funded by EU highlights women’s issues

 The sitcom series ‘Coiffeur Ashwaq’ co-funded by the European Union through the Delegation of the European Commission in Egypt, has received its first airing on the ART satellite station, according to a statement from the Delegation.

The sitcom comes on top of the advertising campaign launched by Media Arts for Development (MADEV), within the framework of the ‘Capture Life’ project, co-funded by the EU.

 

‘Coiffeur Ashwaq’ tackles issues pertaining to women and their rights in the form of a short sitcom series, focused around a hairdresser, who comes into contact with people from all kinds of different social categories. The series runs to 15 20-minute episodes.

To read more visit: http://www.delegy.ec.europa.eu/en/News/596.asp

Science and Islam: Final part TONIGHT-The power of Doubt

Physicist Jim Al-Khalili tells the story of the great leap in scientific knowledge that took place in the Islamic world between the 8th and 14th centuries.

Al-Khalili turns detective, hunting for clues that show how the scientific revolution that took place in the 16th and 17th centuries in Europe had its roots in the earlier world of medieval Islam. He travels across Iran, Syria and Egypt to discover the huge astronomical advances made by Islamic scholars through their obsession with accurate measurement and coherent and rigorous mathematics.

He then visits Italy to see how those Islamic ideas permeated into the West and ultimately helped shape the works of the great European astronomer Copernicus, and investigates why science in the Islamic world appeared to go into decline after the 16th and 17th centuries, only for it to re-emerge in the present day.

Al-Khalili ends his journey in the Royan Institute in the Iranian capital Tehran, looking at how science is now regarded in the Islamic world.

Broadcasts:

1. 19 Jan 2009: 21:00 BBC Four
2. 20 Jan 2009: 03:30 BBC Four
3. 20 Jan 2009: 19:30 BBC Four
4. 20 Jan 2009: 20:00 BBC HD
5. 21 Jan 2009: 01:05

Science and Islam (part two): available on BBC iplayer

The Second of a three part series ‘Science and Islam: The Empire of Reason,’ is currently available to view (only within the UK) on BBC iplayer.

To view go to, http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00gq6h7

Beirut: “World Book Capital 2009”

Beirut is the ninth city to be designated World Book Capital, after Madrid (2001), Alexandria (2002), New Delhi (2003), Antwerp (2004), Montreal (2005), Turin (2006), Bogotá (2007) and Amsterdam (2008). According to the selection committee, the city of Beirut was selected “in the light of its focus on cultural diversity, dialogue and tolerance, and of its diverse and stimulating programme.” The Director-General was delighted “to see that the city of Beirut, which is facing great challenges in terms of peace and peaceful coexistence, is recognized for its commitment to dialogue, which is necessary more then ever in the region, and that the book is able to contribute actively towards this goal”. Every year, UNESCO and the three major branches of the global book industry – the International Publishers Association (IPA), the International Booksellers Federation (IBF) and the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) – designate a city as World Book Capital for the 12 months between two celebrations of World Book and Copyright Day (23 April). This initiative is a collaborative effort between representatives of principal stakeholders in the book sector and the cities which have committed themselves to promote books and reading. The city may hold the title for one designated year, from 23 April (UNESCO World Book Day) until 22 April of the following year. During that year it undertakes to organise and run a larger number of events around books, literature and reading. The programme brings together the local and national book industries and puts books and book culture into the public eye. It attracts sponsorship and extra funding for book related institutions. The programme raises awareness for literacy and reading issues, libraries and books shops and highlights the overall benefits of a lively book culture. The title is also used to promote tourism and draw national and international attention to the literary heritage of a city and nation. This year, the Selection Committee was made up of Ana Maria Cabanellas, representing the International Publishers Association (IPA), Françoise Dubruille, representing the International Booksellers Federation (IBF) and Peter Lor, representing the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA).

Paper 76: UNIFIL II: Emerging and Evolving European Engagement in Lebanon and the Middle East

Three more EuroMeSCo Papers are now available online. In Paper 72 a new model for Euro-Israeli cooperation is critically outlined, Paper 73 analyses Moroccan views of Western democracy promotion efforts, particularly in terms of their legitimacy and credibility, and Paper 74 considers the impact of the democratisation process on the fragility of Middle Eastern states, using Lebanon and Palestine as case studies.

EuroMeSCo is a network of independent research institutes and university centres dedicated to the analysis of Euro-Mediterranean issues.

To view all EuroMesco Papers, go to:  http://www.euromesco.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=category&sectionid=11&id=61&Itemid=48&lang=en

Cyprus: Small Mediterranean Library

In literary matters, Cyprus acts to a large extent as a satellite to the larger Greek (or Turkish) space. Although it has a fairly vigorous poetry tradition to contribute, it largely depends on the mainland when it comes to novels and prose. With very little of the already scant literary activity having been translated into other languages, visitors looking to discover the island’s cultural face might have to look elsewhere, such as in art and history books.

Poetry and Prose
Costas Montis, A small Selection From His Poetry, Nicosia 2003
Costas Montis, Nobel Prize nominee and Corresponding Member of the Academy of Athens, is considered one of the greatest living Greek poets, and one who renewed in a unique way modernistic lyric poetry, and enriched Modern Greek poetry from the point of view of Cyprus. With an uninterrupted literary creation of 70 years, he has, in the words of a Greek professor, “been able to depict artistically the authentic rhythms, the temperature, and the action of the deepest historical and emotional fluctuations of the soul and breath of Cyprus and her people. In his powerful work he has recorded every vibration of the island (erotic, social, political), and all the thoughts of the people of Cyprus have been set down. He has made use of the whole wealth of the linguistic, historical, and cultural tradition of greater Hellenism, and entrenched in his work, with unprecedented poetic force, the indelible character of the deep-rooted values of the Greek nation”.
Much of the author’s prolific work has been translated into other languages. For more information on the man and his work, one may consult the English-language website set up by his daughter: The Official Website of Costas Montis- http://www.costasmontis.com/index.html

 

For more information on current Cypriot poets, historians and artists go to: http://www.babelmed.net/Countries/Mediterranean/Travel/index.php?c=48&m=145&k=5&l=en

‘Istanbul Tales’

In “Istanbul tales”, the city is both the protagonist and the narrator of the film. She becomes for an hour and a half the queen, the mother and the punisher of an attaching and moving group of underdogs. While watching them, “She” also tells her own fairy tales… A gypsy clarinet player as the Pied Piper… Cinderella, an ill-fated prostitute in love with an innocent youngster… A broke Kurdish youth newly arrived in Istanbul meets Sleeping Beauty… “Istanbul tales” tells the dark, gritty, angry, heart-rending stories of those who believed in Istanbul’s fairy tales and shattered their lives. The five stories, written by Ümit Ünal, are told with surprising integrity by five directors.

An interview with Screenwriter and Director Ümit Ünal around the fascination with this city, the difficulty of this “exercise in style” and why Istanbul can be both a beautiful woman and a whore…

To view the Interview conducted by Catherine Cornet (Babelmed), go to: http://www.babelmed.net/Countries/Mediterranean/Arts/istanbul_at.php?c=258&m=142&l=en