Youth, Dialogue and Vision: The Summer School Shaping Euro–Arab Relations
Participants come from different backgrounds – academia, media, civil society, government – but share one mission: to engage in meaningful dialogue and shape the future of Euro–Arab relations. This is the heart of the flagship initiative known as the Summer School on Euro–Arab Relations.
The journey began in July 2019, when the first Summer School brought together 24 young professionals for an intensive week of lectures, roundtables, workshops, and visits to EU institutions in Brussels. Topics like sustainable development, migration, youth empowerment, and intercultural dialogue play a central role. During the Summer Schools, participants were encouraged not just to listen and engage in exchange but also to co-author policy briefings, some of which were later published in the El Hiwar series.
After a pause due to the global pandemic, the second edition in July 2021 adapted to the virtual era with live sessions, “ideas labs,” and peer exchanges focused on people-to-people dialogue. Culture, mobility, and civic participation were at the core of the discussion proving that bridges can still be built, even through a screen.
In July 2023, the Summer School returned to Bruges with the title “Euro-Arab Futures: Anticipating Challenges, Crafting Solutions, and Building Resilience Together.” Through interactive lectures, workshops, and social activities, participants explored how resilience and cooperation could help both regions face shared global challenges.
The fourth edition in September 2024 focused instead on the role of women in peacebuilding and post-conflict reconstruction.
With a smaller cohort of 15 participants, the programme delved into gender, diplomacy, and regional security, alongside practical workshops and visits to institutions in Brussels. This edition went beyond the traditional notion on the role of women as participants in peace processes, exploring their roles as architects of peace.
The fifth edition of the Summer School in September 2025 explored the new frontier of technology and youth agency in digital citizenship. During their stay in Bruges, participants examined how innovation and civic power can converge to empower the next generation of leaders.
Now in its sixth edition, the 2026 Summer School will address the important topic of Peace Mediation and Conflict Prevention in Euro-Arab Cooperation. The programme was designed in close cooperation with the EEAS Conflict Prevention & Peace Mediation Sector and will include a study visit to Brussels, where participants will have meetings with EU institutions and Brussels-based peacebuilding organisations.
The El-Hiwar Summer School aims to create a community of dialogue, a lab of ideas, and a space where young voices are amplified. It offers participants the tools to turn knowledge into action, to challenge assumptions, and to build partnerships that last far beyond the programme itself.
With each edition, the Summer School continues to grow as a unique platform for shared learning and mutual respect between Europe and the Arab world. It is a living example of diplomacy in action shaped by youth, fuelled by dialogue, and guided by a common vision for a shared, inclusive future.