During the last few months, the Mediterranean landscape has witnessed a wave of historical changes. The uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt and other social mobilizations in the region have demonstrated that youth and civil society are eager for more freedom, social change, and consolidation of democratic values within their respective societies.

In this context, and in response to the concern of its National Networks about the implications and challenges that this historical shift can bring to the Foundation’s work and the civil society at large, the Anna Lindh Foundation decided to launch a region wide initiative titled“Believe in Dialogue, Act for Citizenship -Exchanging Practices on Participation and Democracy”

The initiative aims at exchanging good practices and debate about citizenship and democracy among cultural operators, non-governmental organizations, media and young activists at the Euro-Med level as well as empowering and building the capacities of member organizations of the Anna Lindh civil society networks.

A wide range of activities dedicated to civil society activists, cultural operators, media practitioners and young leaders will be organised under the umbrella of “Believe in Dialogue, Act for Citizenship” initiative.

The following comprehensive programme of activities to be developed during the year 2011:

 New specific ALF activities

• The Regional Training Seminar on Intercultural Dialogue and Social Change, to be held in Cairo (Egypt) from 1 to 6 June 2011 (Open Call for Participants and Trainers)

• The Anna Lindh Exchange, a Euro-Mediterranean encounter for exchange and debate on citizenship and intercultural dialogue, to be held in Tunis (Tunisia) from 23 to 26 June 2011 (Open Call for Participants).

Adapting the current programme of the Anna Lindh Foundation

• Financial Support Mechanism: Introducing a Financial Support Mechanism to allow National Networks to invite organisations from other Euro-Med countries – with preference to Network members and other organizations in the Southern Mediterranean, in particular Tunisia and Egypt – to participate in meetings and local actions carried out in the framework of the ‘Believe in Dialogue, Act for Citizenship’ Initiative.
• 2011 Euro-Med Dialogue Award: The theme of this year edition of the Euro-Med Award will be dedicated to “Dialogue for citizenship and freedom”
• Anna Lindh Mediterranean Journalist Award 2011: In this year edition of the Anna Lindh Journalist Award, a Special category will be dedicated to the best journalistic works on the theme of ‘Reporting on Democracy and Social Change’
• Media Debates: Organization of an event with media to debate the reporting on social transformations in the region and the role of social media (in partnership with the European Commission and European Neighborhood Journalist Network);
• Anna Lindh Digest: Publishing the ‘Intercultural Digest’ with featured articles on issues at the heart of the intercultural dialogue agenda, including the role of youth, citizenship and civil society challenges to trans-Mediterranean democratic change
• Translation and Democracy: Mapping translation on transition and democracy in the social sciences in the framework of the translation programme ‘Translation of Transitions’;
• Youth and Social Change: Adding the thematic dimension of ‘Youth and Social Change’ within the Education Workshop organised in partnership with the Swedish Institute of Alexandria;
• Anna Lindh Bloggers: Giving special attention in the activities around the dissemination of the Anna Lindh Bloggers and Intercultural Dialogue Tool Kit at the national and regional level;
• Local Actions: Supporting local actions, with a special focus during the Alexandria’s Farah el Bahr Festival on the ALF Initiative themes.

Preparing the Foundation's strategy and programme for the third Phase (2011-14)

• Advisory Council Meeting: The meeting of the Advisory Council with original members of the ‘Group de Sages’ to reassess the role of intercultural dialogue in the Euro-Mediterranean region and contribute to the institutional dimension and strategy of the Anna Lindh Foundation in its next phase of operation; the meeting will also involve Network representatives and qualified participants in the ALF Initiative events to present their grassroots best practices in the field of dialogue, democracy and citizenship;

• The Anna Lindh Report: Preparing the 2012 edition of the Anna Lindh Report on Euro-Mediterranean Intercultural Trends; the next Public Opinion Poll and the relevant analyses should be tailored to the new situation during the first meeting of the Report experts committee.