Foundation for Future (FFF), Training and Research Institute in Romania (PATRIR) and the International Institute for Nonviolent Action (NOVACT), with the support of Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, Barcelona Council and the Anna Lindh Foundation, will carry out the Conference Charting the Course for Inclusive Democracy & Transition in the MENA Region: From Revolution to Active Citizenship, Nonviolence strategies, and Regional Solidarity. The event will be held, from the 15th to 17th October, in Tunisia with important aims to fulfill.
A coalition of civil society organizations has been created with the aim to organize and achieve the goals of the event: Department of Peace Operations (DPO) of the Peace Action, IWATCH, Nonviolence Network in the Arab Countries (NNAC), Popular Struggle Coordination Committee (PSCC), IKV Pax Christi, Beyond Reform and Development (BRD), Permanent Peace Movement (PPM), Un Ponte Per (UPP) and Solidaridad International (SI).
The Conference intends to bring key and relevant actors from the post-revolutionary phase in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region in order to identify and analyze common challenges and the current needs affecting people on the ground, but overall define a regional strategy, involving Arab and European civil society actors. All to strengthen the call of civil society and all actors in the MENA region for real democracy, social justice, and human rights, supporting transition from authoritarian, non-representative regimes and occupation; to extend the support of European nonviolent movements, activists and experts.
In that way, the organizers seek to create an excellent atmosphere to promote real dialogue and sharing of experiences between the participants.
The importance of civil society
The evolution of citizens’ democratic movements, civic participation and nonviolent struggles in the MENA countries has varied in terms of strategies and tools used by the activists and demonstrators. Likewise, the responses of governments and state institutions have been distinct with concern to the level of violence and how to handle the challenge and call from citizens for democratic change and inclusive politics
In that line, new actors are also emerging in Europe, in some way influenced and motivated by the Arab Springs revolutions, with new priorities and tools to transform the social, political and economical environment. The repression and control of the citizens by the police, the physical occupation of public spaces, the attempts to reduce the freedom of expression and association, amongst others, are just some examples of the common challenges and similarities between the movements in both regions. Moreover, key lessons and best practices can be shared and obtained from the democratic processes in Europe which could serve to inspire and to better envision the future states and societies in the MENA region.
Civil society is at the heart of this struggle and civic engagement to define the new states and societies in the MENA region. This includes organizations that have carried out nonviolent struggles and championed democracy, human rights, and women’s rights over years and decades, as well as new platforms for civic engagement that have developed at the heart of the uprisings and in the wake of democratic revolutions in the region.