The MEPI Leaders for Democracy Fellowship (LDF) Arabic project provides for ten weeks of study and professional experience in Lebanon for 20-25 young civic leaders from across the Middle East and North Africa. The project begins with four weeks of academic coursework in Arabic at the Lebanese American University, where fellows focus on the concepts of leadership, democracy, communication, and conflict resolution. Fellows complete relevant seminars and workshops that address theoretical debates as well as active, practical skills-building sessions. After completing the academic portion of the project, participants engage in a six-week professional assignment with Lebanese civil society institutions and organizations. Participants gain a practical understanding of the interactions between government and civil society while also gaining valuable knowledge, skills, and contacts to benefit their professional pursuits in their home countries. This project complements MEPI’s flagship English-language Fellowship, hosted by Syracuse University since 2007.
