The MEPI Leaders for Democracy Fellowship (LDF) Program 2019 is now open for applications. Leaders for Democracy Fellowship (LDF) is a leadership development initiative designed to advance civic engagement and social innovation in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
LDF aims to support more than 200 emerging civil society leaders from across the MENA region by providing an in-depth academic and practical opportunity to analyze complex challenges, re-examine interventions to address these challenges, and to seek ways to make positive social and economic changes in societies and communities by advancing existing activities or launching new initiatives. The program supports professionals who have demonstrated interest in addressing local challenges in their communities, several years of experience in civic and social innovation projects.
The LDF program has two mirrored tracks:
- The Arabic track in Lebanon is designed for emerging leaders, who have advanced Arabic language proficiency, both written and spoken. This track is implemented in collaboration with the American University of Beirut’s Regional External Programs (AUB-REP).
- The English track in the United States is designed for emerging leaders, who have advanced English language proficiency, both written and spoken. This track is implemented in collaboration with Duke Center for International Development (DCID).
About
The paired components of classroom and real-world work give Fellows the theoretical understanding and practical experience in civic engagement and social innovation required to help enable them to advance initiatives across the MENA region.
MEPI seeks candidates with excellent interpersonal and communication skills, proven leadership abilities, the ability to work in a cross-cultural setting and a commitment to the program and follow-on activities. To promote program sustainability and create a multiplier effect, participants will be required to end the program with targeted leadership objectives and a plan on how they plan to apply the lessons learned from the program when they return home.
This is an intensive civic engagement and social innovation program and selected candidates are expected to fully participate in each stage of the program. The LDF program cycle has four stages: an online Pre-Arrival Orientation Phase; an Academic Component (implemented in Beirut, Lebanon or Durham, North Carolina); a Practicum Component (implemented in Beirut, Lebanon, or Washington, D.C.); and an online Post-Program Monitoring Phase. The program in total is approximately nine months starting mid-April 2019 through mid-January 2020.
Eligibility
For the English program in the U.S. applicants must:
- Be from Algeria, Jordan, Morocco, Tunisia, Lebanon, and Israel.
- Have full English fluency for the U.S. Program. Applicants should be able to function comfortably in English-speaking academic and professional environments.
For the Arabic program in Lebanon applicants must:
- Be from Syria, Libya, Yemen, Algeria, Jordan, Morocco, Tunisia, Lebanon, and Iraq.
- Have full Arabic fluency for the Lebanon Program. Applicants should be able to function comfortably in Arabic-speaking academic and professional environments.
Applicants for both programs must meet the following eligibility criteria:
- Age: Applicants should be between 28 and 35 years of age.
- Professional Experience: Applicants should have at least five years of professional work experience in a relevant field.
- Civic Engagement and/or Social Innovation Experience: Applicants should have more than three to five years of experience working on civic and/or social innovation projects, or activism with NGOs in a professional capacity. Volunteer experience will be considered.
- Academic Background: Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree.
- Post Program: Have the capacity and commitment to apply the leadership development experience gained through the Fellowship program upon returning to home country.
Criteria
Applications will be reviewed based on clearly defined criteria, including:
- Applicants demonstrate a strong commitment to being leaders of positive change in their communities.
- Applicants demonstrate that they have already been actively engaged in civic engagement and/or social innovation activities for a minimum of three to five years.
- Applicants demonstrate tolerance and a desire to work collaboratively with a diverse cohort of peers irrespective of their gender, ethnicity, religion, political views and socioeconomic status.
- Applicants are interested in participating in the program and sharing the experience with others.
- Applicants commit to the implementation of a post-fellowship civic engagement and/or social innovation activity in his or her home country.
- Those selected will come from diverse backgrounds and LDF aims for gender balance.
- The Leaders for Democracy Fellowship will cover the cost of international and domestic travel, lodging, and health insurance, and provide a modest living stipend to cover meals and incidentals during the program.
Application
For more information, visit MEPI LDF.
