- ActionAid
- Focus areas of our work
- How we work
- Countries we work in
- Examples and results
- The organisation
The Middle East and North Africa
MS ActionAid Denmark works to increase young people's participation in the civil society in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) as well as in Denmark. Part of this is promoting cross cultural understanding and respect between youth in the countries.
Strengthening youth participation
“This was the best experience that I’ve ever been through, there were many things that I’ve learned, many things in my life were affected in a way or in another, and I have totally changed my thoughts and opinions about the West in general and especially Denmark”
Ibrahim I. Ayeshn, Jordanian participant in youth exchange with Denmark
From the regional office in Jordan, MS ActionAid Denmark coordinates and facilitates projects aimed at strengthening youth groups and youth organizations. The aim is to create possibilities for young people to work on positive change and to put their own dreams into action. This takes many forms, from international seminars on youth leadership, to theater and dance workshops, debate clubs and the provision of space for the youth to meet and organize. The overall mission is to strengthen the role of the young generation though participation and raising awareness.
Along with the above-mentioned focus on empowerment and mobilization, the office also puts a lot of work into promoting dialogue among the youth from the region and young Danes. By joining and cooperating on projects in Denmark and the Middle East, an intercultural exchange takes place, which is important in order to break down stereotypes and barriers.
| 01 August 2010 | ”Ehna meen?” Zarqa youth loudly asked on stage |
| 15 July 2010 | Exchanging knowledge between the Middle East and Africa |
| 27 June 2010 | Official launch of MS programme in Zarqa, Jordan |
| 16 June 2010 | Global Platform in Jordan |
| 25 May 2010 | Four Young Arabs in Copenhagen |
| 05 April 2010 | Looking back on 4 months in Lebanon |
| 24 March 2010 | Do You Genderalise? |
| 10 March 2010 | Current volunteers in the MENA region |
Our work in the MENA region
MS ActionAid Denmark focuses on three priority areas in building bridges for youth issues in the Middle East, North Africa and Denmark:- Engaging young people in civil society issues and strengthening their ability to organize advocate and act by themselves.
- Promoting cross-cultural understanding and dialogue by giving youth from both Denmark and the MENA region a chance to meet and interact.
- Supporting partnerships between youth groups in the MENA region and Denmark, thereby learning from each other's knowledge and experience.
In dept with the priority areas
A separate, but very important, cross cutting issue in the program is gender equality. MS ActionAid Denmark has developed a gender strategy that promotes individual empowerment of young women and equal participation of young women and men in all youth mobilization activities of the organization.
Our gender strategy in MENA (pdf)
Learn more about the situation in the Middle East and our focus on youth
Documents
A group of young people born in Zarqa and still living there were telling their own personal stories on stage through storytelling, theatre, dance performance and break dance.
Blogs
http://gazoom.lucasnielsen.dk/
Lucas is based in Gaza supporting MS’ partner organisation Sharek Youth Forum in developing initiatives for youth
(By: Lucas Nielsen, Inspirator, April – December 2010)
Mussiniksi.blogspot.com (Danish)
Rasmus and Nikolaj have been volunteers in Palestine in three months. Beautiful and thought-provoking pictures and anecdotes from the Westbank.
(By: Rasmus D. Skavlan & Nikolaj H. Mortensen, Volunteers, Spring 2010)
Arabized Thoughts and Experiences... (English)
I want to use the opportunity of living in Jordan to add nuance and perspective to the country, the cultures and the people in it, to add a personal dimension and to illustrate what it actually feels like being here.
(By: Laura T. Nielsen, Intern in Amman, Spring 2010)
Marhaba Denmark! (English & Danish)
Stationed in Amman - I will tell about my life and work here. Important information, small observations and the daily life in general...
(By: Camilla Juul Bjørn, Intern in Amman, Autumn 2009)
Videos
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Sanne Loft Rasmussen and Johan Fournaise Sanne Loft Rasmussen and Johan Fournaise tell about their Next Stop tour to Syria and Lebanon. |
MS Middle East North Africa
MS ActionAid Denmark
Telaa al Ali, Barakeh
8 Abu Yussef al Ansari street
Amman, Jordan
sna@ms.dkinfo-mena@ms.dk
Phone: + 962 (6) 5660570
Fax: + 962 65687558
Celluar:+ 96279 9350843
