To Download Program Overview, click here.

To Download Application, click here.

The University of the Middle East Project
sponsored by
The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs
in concert with
Sister Cities International, the City of Somerville, the City of Tiznit

and the Moroccan American Cultural Center
present:

The Civic Participation And Leadership Initiative

Somerville residents and employees working in EDUCATION, BUSINESS, NGOs, the ARTS, GOVERNMENT, HEALTH, and other sectors are invited to apply to this cultural, professional, and intellectual exchange with counterparts in Somerville's "Sister City" of Tiznit, Morocco

WHEN: December 16-21, 2009

WHERE: Tiznit, Morocco

• Be a part of the first diplomatic delegation to visit and engage with Somerville's Sister City of Tiznit
• Cultivate personal and professional relationships with citizens of Somerville and Tiznit

• Engage in facilitated discussion and cross-cultural collaboration around a change process you would like to see in your communities

• Experience first hand Morocco's culture and people through visits to schools, businesses, government offices, artists' studios, health care facilities and local NGOs in Tiznit

FOR MORE INFORMATION and TO GET INVOLVED please contact Robina Bhasin, Programs Manager, at (617)440-1636 or robina@ume.org.

To find out about grants for Massachusetts educators, click here.

In 2008 the University of the Middle East Project (UME) began facilitating a “Sister City” relationship between Somerville and the Moroccan city of Tiznit, with which UME has a long-standing relationship. This partnership is integral to UME’s mission to promote cross-cultural understanding between the US and the Middle East and North Africa region. Building upon a strong foundation of community, governmental and institutional support, UME looks forward to fulfilling the full potential of this extraordinary exchange, beginning with the Civic Participation and Leadership Initiative.

The Civic Participation and Leadership Initiative (CPLI) will bring together educators, health practitioners, artists, business leaders, and local non-governmental organization members, from Somerville, Massachusetts, and Tiznit, Morocco, to strengthen the partnerships between these two communities, linked as Sister Cities. Through this workshop, participants will design a collaborative change process that they would like to see in their communities. In addition they will develop personal and professional relationships that will contribute to a lasting bond between these sister cities in the US and Morocco.

The University of the Middle East Project (UME) is an independent non-profit organization based in Somerville, Massachusetts, promoting educational leadership for critical thinking, open inquiry, cross-cultural understanding and civic engagement. UME seeks to empower the most motivated and progressive secondary school teachers of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), the U.S. and Europe through professional development and exchange programs, leadership and organizational skills. Over the past twelve years, UME has established a serious and credible record with the successful organization of 33 academic programs in the U.S., Spain, Morocco, Jordan, and Lebanon that have benefited over 600 educators and community leaders in the Middle East and North Africa, over 100 American and European educators, and thousands of their students.