On April 4-6, in Hammamet Tunisia, the 2018 Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) Student Leaders Capstone Seminar brought together more than 100 students from across the Middle East and North Africa who have completed an intensive six-week leadership training program in the United States. The hands-on sessions are designed to build the knowledge and skills of the young participants in three areas: leadership, civil society, and government processes. The gathering also gave the students a chance to discuss how they can apply these skills in their home countries.
MEPI chose Tunisia as the location for this regional seminar because it aligns with the U.S. government’s ongoing support to Tunisia’s own efforts to consolidate its democracy and develop its economy. The seminar also supports the United States’ policy to encourage countries throughout the region to develop local and national decision-making processes that maximize the inclusion of citizens and civil society organizations.
American Ambassador to
Tunisia Daniel Rubinstein, the Prime Minister Advisor in Charge of Youth Chokri Terzi, the Minister in Charge of the Relations with the Constitutional Bodies, Civil Society and Human Rights, the Governor of Nabeul, and the MEPI DC Director participated in the closing ceremony of the seminar on April 6, 2018 at 5:00 p.m. Representatives from the MEPI office in Washington and from universities in the United States that hosted MEPI student leaders also attended, and program alumni shared presentations about their work with civil society in their respective countries.
