Friday, September 9, 2011

Week of 9/12 Events

Mon 9/12 (1pm) - Maybe I'm Wrong: Civic Debate Presentation and Training led by Jamil Choura

A program organized for youth in Tunis to promote tolerance, respect of differing opinions, and principles of civilized debate in an open society. Since the Revolution, many public exchanges in Tunisia have descended into shouting and sometimes even violence amongst youth. The name “Maybe I’m Wrong” suggests that young people can be open-minded and even change their opinions without being embarrassed. The project includes training in techniques of debate as well as an open public debate with audience participation. It aims to stress the importance of communication, intellectual awareness, and the culture of peaceful coexistence in order to pave the way for a real democracy in Tunisia.

Mon 9/12 (4pm) - AC Volunteers Meeting

Come to learn more about projects being planned and how you can get involved and build a stronger community through volunteerism!

Tue 9/13 (1pm) - Ar.Tun.ited: A Meeting for Artists and their Fans by Roué Krimi and Emna Bouguira

If you are an artist or if you simply love art click here to learn more about a new project entitled Ar.Tun.ited:

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=267396953277473

Ar.Tun.ited, is an initiative to bring together young Tunisian artists and engage them in the country’s emerging civil society. This project aims to find solutions for three issues affecting the art scene in Tunisia: the absence of a strong community of young artists, little if any encouragement for young people to commit to a career in the arts, and a lack of opportunities for young artists to engage with the general public. In response, the project aims to create a community of young talented artists working side by side to promote art and participate in civic reform, including helping to advance the work of civil society NGOs. For instance if an NGO wants to organize a campaign against illiteracy, Ar.Tun.ited will help organize an event addressing the same theme. The first phase of the project is to hold an introductory meeting in Tunis, followed by a collective art exhibition and performance composed of several art genres, enabling young artists to present their work and feel part of a larger community. The hope is to solidify this new network with a website featuring information on artists and civic affairs.

Tue 9/13 (4pm) - Democracy Simulation: Constitutional Convention

Wed 9/14 (1:30pm) - AC Tunis-AC Cairo Skype Conversation Hour on "Ways to Support the Arab Spring"

Wed 9/14 (4pm) - Conversation Hour on Harajuku Fashion by Hamdi Labidi

Thur 9/15 (10:30am) - Civic Awareness Video Competition Workshop by videographer and photographer, Mike Hammond

Civic Awareness and Engagement Video Competition

Rules of the Game:

The American Corner in Tunis is announcing a video contest as part of its Civic Empowerment Month. To enter, please create an original (your own work not taken from others) short film on the theme of civic awareness and engagement of no more than 5 minutes to win a spot in a two-day videography workshop led by international multimedia trainer, Karl Idsvoog on September 26-27. The winner will also receive a certificate and 50 TD. The video submission deadline will be Monday, September 19. You can submit your video by posting a youtube/dailymotion link to it under the event posting on the American Corner Tunis Facebook group entitled, “AC Civic Awareness and Engagement Video Competition”.

The videos should emphasize civic social commentary and can be done using cell phones, small cameras, or any other device at your disposal. The videos should focus on an issue of civic awareness and engagement. This can include, but is not limited to, civic engagement in post-revolution politics, social engagement in the form of volunteerism, etc. The video should tell a story and inspire future civic awareness and engagement in Tunisia. Any dialogue should be in English or subtitle in English

Mike Hammond, videographer and photographer will also be available Thursday, September 15 for a small workshop to help put videos together and also to provide feedback on your work.

Any videos containing plagiarism, submitted later than September 19 at 6:00 pm or that exceed 5 minutes will be automatically disqualified.

Best of luck to you all!

Thurs 9/15 (4pm) - Soliya Connect Program Orientation and Information Session

IF YOU INTEND TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROGRAM YOU MUST COME TO THIS INFORMATION SESSION



In an increasingly interdependent world, cross-cultural education and exchange should no longer be considered a luxury for the privileged elite – to succeed in the global economy and address complex global challenges, all young people will need to develop a basic level of cross-cultural awareness and understanding. Soliya’s Connect Program is a new approach to cross-cultural exchange that has the potential to dramatically increase access to intercultural education.

Through accredited university courses, Connect Program participants use customized videoconferencing technology to connect directly with their peers from around the world and engage in candid discussions of cross-cultural issues. The program is extremely low-cost as compared to traditional exchange or study abroad experiences and the technical requirements for participation are minimal. Small groups of 8-10 students are guided through the 10-week dialogue program by pairs of highly-trained facilitators. Over the course of a semester, participants have the opportunity to develop genuine relationships with group members from around the world and learn about other cultures from those who are immersed in them every day. Soliya facilitators are specifically trained to foster a respectful environment in which participants feel comfortable expressing and exploring different perspectives. Through a proven dialogue process, students progress from discussing culture and everyday life to delving into controversial topics with the support of trusted group members, ultimately arriving at a better understanding of other cultures and perspectives.

Fri 9/16 (4pm) - Film Segment from Framework for Democracy: on The Living Constitution (Constitution by Popular Referendum) + Discussion

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