Arab Spring
20 September 2012
- Generations of young people have learnt about and experienced British culture in our libraries and teaching centres throughout the Middle East and North Africa (MENA)
- Our long-term presence there gives us access to people at all levels in society with unique insight to help inform the international response to the changes taking place
- There is huge demand for our work. Even in Syria and Egypt during the uprisings, people wanted to take exams with us. We are working hard to meet this demand, even when the security situation makes it difficult for us
- Our work is focusing on responding to the underlying issues of the Arab Spring: skills and employability, and giving a voice to young people
- In Tunisia, new ministers want our help with improving English for their country
- In Egypt, we are meeting the demand for English and UK-backed qualifications
- In Libya, we are providing English and working with young people though the arts
- Through the FCO Arab Partnership Initiative and with partner organisations, we will deliver programmes to improve career prospects for young people in Egypt and Tunisia, and improve English language skills in Tunisia
- Our work provides a unique opportunity to build trust and develop close relationships with new governments and emerging leaders in politics and business
- We are developing skills and giving a voice to the new generation of young people who are shaping their countries’ futures
With partners, we delivered more than 125,000 IELTS English exams in MENA last year, giving people trusted qualifications for business and study.
Our Skills for Employability programme is supporting policy development and curriculum reform. It also builds links between UK businesses and academic institutions in MENA. The programme is up and running in Egypt and Tunisia and responding quickly to the challenges facing those countries.
Our Connecting Classrooms programme links schools in the UK with 17 countries in MENA, helping to build mutual trust and understanding and raise aspirations and attainment.
Our Global Changemakers programme connects exceptional young social activists and social entrepreneurs around the world. In MENA, the network has some 570 members who, in turn, reach thousands more through their projects.
Our Young Arab Voices programme, in partnership with the Anna Lindh Foundation, enables 25,000 young people from the region to debate and participate in the process of democratic transition.
With Chatham House, we are training 150 young analysts from North Africa in policy research techniques to develop youth-led research in the region.
Mustafa Abdul Jalil, Chairman of the Libyan National Transitional Council, said: ‘The Libyan people will never forget British Council officers within Libyan territory and its effective role in spreading culture among the Libyan people.’ (12 May 2011).
Dr Philip Lee MP quoted an English learner from Damascus in a House of Commons debate on 21 March 2011: ‘The British Council is my bubble of oxygen, the place where I can express myself’.
