The Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) is pleased to announce recruitment for its 2011 Leaders for Democracy Fellowship Program

Deadlines for application submission vary by country; interested applicants are invited to review the information below and contact the US Embassy in their country.

What is it?

The MEPI Leaders for Democracy Fellowship (LDF) Program is a 3-month program in the United States for 20-25 young civic leaders from the Middle East and North Africa.

The program begins with 6 weeks of academic coursework, where fellows focus on the concepts of leadership, democracy, communication, and conflict resolution among others. 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 program, participants engage in a 6-week professional assignment with a political, non-governmental, or public policy organization of professional interest in Washington, DC. Through this program component, participants gain a practical understanding of the interactions between government and civil society, while also gaining valuable knowledge, skills, and professional contacts to benefit their professional pursuits in their home countries.

Program Details

Places targeted: Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, UAE, West Bank/Gaza, and Yemen

Who is eligible?

The program is open to young professionals between the ages of 25 and 40 with a bachelor's degree and English language fluency. Fellows should be able to function at full capacity in an English-speaking academic and professional environment.

Applicants should have five years of work experience, as well as demonstrated leadership skills and a desire to apply the skills they have learned during the fellowship to benefit an organization, sector, or specific community. Fellows' travel to the U.S. must be unaccompanied. At the time of application and while participating in the program, Fellows must be citizens of the Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, UAE, West Bank/Gaza, and Yemen and cannot hold U.S. citizenship or be a U.S. Legal Permanent Resident.

How do participants apply?

Interested applicants should see
http://mepi.state.gov/documents/organization/127404.pdf. All applicants must submit
an current resume and an essay of no more than 1,000 words (in English), which answers the following questions:

* How will a MEPI Leaders for Democracy Fellowship enable you to better lead your community or country toward greater democracy and citizen participation in the institutions and activities of government?
* What do you hope to gain from this program and what are your plans to apply the lessons you learn upon your return?
* What changes do you hope to bring about in your country during the next 10 years?

The project implementer will work with MEPI DC and selected participants to facilitate J-visa processing at posts.

Important Dates

MEPI has just obligated an award to Syracuse University for a fifth year of the Leaders for Democracy Fellowship project. Recruitment is open until November 30, 2010. Applicants should contact their respective embassy to apply.