Demo Finland, the Finnish Youth Research Network and the Department of Political and Economic Studies (Development Studies and Global Politics) at University of Helsinki are pleased to invite you to the seminar Prospects of Youth Political Engagement and Political Dialogue in Contemporary Tunisia.
Time: Thursday 12th December 2013 at 14.15-17.00
Place: Helsinki University main building, Fabianinkatu 33, 3rd floor, room 13.
The seminar focuses on the diversity of the political engagement of Tunisian youth and the current state of affairs of the country’s democratization process three years after the start of the Arab Spring. The seminar pays attention in particular on prospects for cross-party dialogue for a positive development and challenges in guaranteeing the Tunisian citizens freedom of the media and security. Students from the Tunisian School of Politics will attend the seminar. The Tunisian School of Politics is a cross-party democracy training initiative for young politicians from the main political parties in Tunisia. The School is supported by Demo Finland since 2012 with funding from the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
Preliminary programme:
Opening words by Tiina Kukkamaa-Bah, Executive Director of Political Parties of Finland for Democracy, Demo Finland
Key note address on Opportunities of Political Dialogue for the Democratisation Process in Tunisia by Professor Ahmed Driss, Director of the Tunisian School of Politics and the Centre of Mediterranean and international Studies
Diversity of Youth Political Engagement in Contemporary Tunisia by Dr. Sofia Laine, Researcher in the Research Project Youth and Political Engagement in Contemporary Africa at the Youth Research Network
Comment (TBC)
Coffee break
Panel discussion on youth political engagement in the Tunisian context focusing on challenges to the freedom of the media and the security situation.
Panellists:
Two students from the Tunisian School of Politics, names to be announced soon
Ms. Aishi Zidan, journalist at the leading Finnish news paper Helsingin Sanomat, student of sociology and Arabic language and Islamic culture
Ms. Minna Rantama, finished her Master’s thesis on Tunisian youth, police and security in November 2013
The panel discussion will be chaired by Dr. Leena Suurpää, Research Director of Finnish Youth Research Network
Further information and registrations by 10th Dec: info@demofinland.org
The event is on Facebook.