CFI and the Institut français team up to launch “SafirLab”, the laboratory for change
Related project
Safirlab - Supporting those working for change in the Arab worldOn 11 July 2012, Etienne Fiatte, Managing Director of CFI signed a partnership agreement with Xavier Darcos, President of the Institut Français, the French operator in favour of cultural initiatives abroad, to jointly organise and fund the SafirLab project, aiming to strengthen the skills of key young players in the new political and social drive in the Arab world.
This new programme, initiated further to the G8 Summit in Deauville and designed at the request of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, offers future leaders of the Arab world tailor-made workshops and high-level meetings, as a boost to their professional career and aims. The "new digital media" dimension is of utmost importance to SafirLab given their emergence and roles during the Arab spring movements.
The programme is also open to young people with a strong commitment in NGOs or in the building of a state governed by the rule of law.
A selection committee, chaired by Gilles Kepel (university professor at the Institute for Political Studies in Paris), was held on 29 June at the
Institut français. Committee members included representatives of the following institutions: Wikimedia, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, University Paris-Dauphine, RFI and the University of Rennes 2.
This commission short-listed around 50 candidates, from countries lining the southern shores of the Mediterranean (known as the "Deauvillepartners": Egypt, Jordan, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia).
The emergence of a new community
As a key partner given its acknowledged expertise in change management training, the University Paris-Dauphine will be playing host to these participants for two weeks, from 23 September to 7 October.
The first week will focus on general issues geared around three skill sets for media, social and economic players.
The second week will focus entirely on meetings with professionals and experts for more individual work adapted to participant projects.
Visits (to places symbolising the Republic, firms, media groups, associations etc.) and high-level meetings will round off the programme.
Once home, they will receive support and dialogue will be engaged.
They will keep in touch via social networks, and will be invited to attend events on a regular basis. Leveraging the emergence of a new community, founded on shared values and experience, SafirLab intends to contribute to the construction of a platform for dialogue south of the Mediterranean.
