On February 5, 2023, at the invitation of the head of the Egyptian National Network of the Anna Lindh Foundation for Dialogue between Cultures, of which the Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs is a member, ECFA participated in an event organized by the Network; to introduce the latter and its importance in achieving communication between think tanks and research institutions in Euro-Mediterranean countries, as well as to transfer expertise and opportunities to members of the Egyptian National Network from most Egyptian governorates, in the presence of representatives from civil society organizations that are members of the Egyptian Network and from non-members, as well as from the Egyptian press, and from the Ministry of Youth and Sports.
The event was opened by Professor Merna Shalash, Head of the Egyptian Network of the Anna Lindh Foundation, and Executive Director of the Partners for Transparency Foundation, who emphasized the role of the Egyptian Network in building bridges of dialogue with other networks in the North and South Mediterranean, expressing her gratitude for the presence of the headquarters of the Anna Lindh Foundation in Egypt. While Mr. Ayman Akil, former head of the Egyptian network of the Anna Lindh Foundation and president of the Maat Foundation for Peace, Development and Human Rights, pointed out that the Foundation is the oldest institution for cultural dialogue in the Mediterranean basin, and includes 41 Mediterranean countries, stressing the Foundation’s role in bringing together the largest number of civil society institutions in the region. On his part, Mr. Ahmed Shabib, member of the Board of Trustees of the Egyptian Network and President of the Arab Center for Human Rights, explained the conditions for joining the Egyptian Network of the Anna Lindh Foundation in accordance with the internal statute.
In this context, ECFA also participated in the annual meeting of the Egyptian Network on February 19, 2023, which discussed means to support the needs of the Network’s members, introducing its specific committees, in addition to discussing its internal statute, in addition to highlighting the elements of the financing proposals, as well as the various financing bodies and means to reach them, as Mr. Maged Hosny, member of the Board of Trustees of the Egyptian Network and President of the Watan Daaem Foundation, discussed in this regard the problems related to the financing process, such as the difference in visions and goals, the large number of competitors in light of the scarce funding, and the weak community awareness of effective participation to support development projects…etc.
