Marzouki opens first Arab forum on education for intellectual citisenship

The official opening of the first Arab Forum on "Education for Intellectual Citizenship" was chaired on Tuesday by Caretaker President Moncef Marzouki. In his speech, President Marzouki stressed the key role played by educational institutions in disseminating the concept of citizenship in the Arab world and respecting the principles of democracy. He also said that the Arab forum for citizenship is an appropriate platform for Arab peoples to recover the values of diversity and acceptance of the other. Executive Director of Anna Lindh Foundation told TAP that the aim of this meeting is to spread the values of an intellectual citizenship by teaching youth how to manage diversity as a wealth rather than a danger. "The point is to meet a universal challenge, that of living together by managing diversity," he stressed. A programme entitled "Your Role," will be launched by the Anna Lindh Foundation in Tunisia and in other Arab countries. It seeks to build the capacity of Arab and Mediterranean citizens to participate in public life. The programme, which offers spaces and mechanisms of dialogue in the Mediterranean region, focuses on three topics: youth's participation in public life, education to citizenship and art for change. The forum, which will run until March 2, is organised by the Anna Lindh Foundation and the UNESCO ALECSO Bardo Club. It is attended by more than 60 participants from 10 Arab countries.