The Safir programme is brought to a close with three days of meetings and debates in Paris
Related project
SafirThe closing event, which took place in Paris from 16 to 18 November 2023, brought together 150 Safir programme beneficiaries, a first for the project, which began back in 2020.
This group of beneficiaries, which includes incubator managers, entrepreneurs, representatives of civil society organisations and universities, and young people involved in advocacy, from Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine and Tunisia, has enjoyed a very rich programme of visits, meetings and debates.
This three-day programme, which the consortium has been preparing for several months, provided an opportunity for discussions between beneficiaries and meetings with professionals active in the areas of entrepreneurship, academia and incubation.
The event took place across several locations. The opening session, which took place at the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, offered an opportunity to discuss how we can support the aspirations of young people in North Africa and the Middle East, and to present a number of Safir projects.
Discussions on representations of the Arab world and links with diaspora communities were held at the Arab World Institute before the beneficiaries visited two AWI exhibitions.
La Mairie du XXème [The town hall of the 20th arrondissement] hosted a session comprising three parts: a presentation of the key takeaways from the Safir programme, a focus group on the regional guide to supporting social entrepreneurship, and reflective workshops on what will happen to the Safir community once the project has come to an end.
Finally, workshops covering topics such as "Democracy and Governance", "Combating Inequality", "Culture and Education" and "Environment" were held across the city at the Reporters without borders (RSF) offices, Sciences-Po university, l’Académie du Climat [Climate Academy], The Beehive and Maison Zéro Déchet [Zero Waste House]. The beneficiaries also had plenty of time to relax and enjoy the city, with a Bateau Mouche river cruise and a closing ceremony at the charming and magical Musée des Arts Forains [Fairground Museum].
