Euro-Maghreb youth group to launch peace and unity caravan

2008-08-15

Young people from both sides of the Mediterranean will travel from France to Morocco on August 17th as part of the Euro-Maghreb Caravan of Youth for Friendship, Co-Development and Unity.

By Imane Belhaj for Magharebia in Casablanca – 15/08/08

[Imane Belhaj] President of the Euro-Maghreb Youth Union Samad Filali speaks with Magharebia about a group of youths travelling through Europe and the Maghreb with messages of friendship, peace and unity.

The Euro-Maghreb Youth Union (UJEM) will launch an initiative on Sunday (August 17th) to spread messages promoting Maghreb unity, tolerance and worldwide peace. The young participants aim to advance democratisation, gender equality, respect for human rights and the separation between politics and religion in the Maghreb.

UJEM President Samad Filali spoke to Magharebia about the youth caravan and what it expects to encounter as it passes through the capital cities of Europe and the Maghreb.

Magharebia: The "Euro-Maghreb Caravan of Youth for Friendship, Co-Development and Unity" is about to get under way in Paris. What is the background behind the initiative?

Samad Filali: At the third Europe-Maghreb Youth Forum held in Oujda from March 27th to April 1st, 2007, the participants proposed that a Euro-Maghreb caravan for friendship, co-development and unity be launched.

The goal of the caravan is to spread a message of peace, dialogue, friendship and co-operation, because young people cannot sit back idly and watch developments that threaten the stability of our region and the whole world. This bid to rally young and diverse people from the Maghreb and Europe will set an example for the world.

The caravan will set off from Paris on August 17th and then stop in Brussels, Strasbourg, Lyon and Barcelona before ending its journey in Oujda, Morocco.

Magharebia: Who will be involved?

Filali: There will be some forty or so participants from Germany, Belgium, Spain, France, Greece, Italy, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Libya and Mauritania. Young leaders of NGOs will work together to bring both sides of the Mediterranean together.

Magharebia: What message do you hope to convey?

Filali: Through this initiative, young people are hoping to play a part in dialogue between Europe and the Maghreb and help shape their own destinies instead of taking a back seat. With this caravan, we’re hoping to convey a number of messages which we have formulated through our forums and meetings:

The first is that we call on our states and civil societies to promote the values of human rights, democracy and the rule of law. Sharing these values will enable us to live side by side in mutual respect and to thrive in an atmosphere of peace and stability. Spreading and sharing these values in Europe and the Maghreb will strengthen the links between these countries and pave the way for synergy, partnership and co-development, which is the only way we can achieve shared prosperity in this region of the world.

Secondly, we want to rally young people to support the values of peace, dialogue and the rejection of violence and terrorism. We call on the countries of the Maghreb and Europe to work together to prevent and stamp out all acts of this kind and to implement economic and socio-cultural programmes as part of a co-development plan, which is the only way we can safeguard the region and all its young people against all forms of extremism and move towards shared economic and social development.

Thirdly, we call on the governments of European and Maghreb states to build a regional area founded on a long-term strategic approach that meets the challenges and aspirations of the economies and people of the region, in order to create a balanced partnership that respects the interests and aspirations of all peoples of the Mediterranean.

Our fourth message is that in a world dominated by globalisation and the creation of mega-unions all over the world, a Greater Maghreb union is becoming a necessity. The Maghreb needs to pool its strength and energies to respond to the needs of young people seeking a better future in this region. Unity will give the Maghreb the weight it needs to negotiate a place for itself in the Mediterranean area and enable it to join together with developed countries.

We’re hoping that the governments of the Maghreb will overcome their personal differences and immediately begin working towards unity in the Maghreb, with economic integration and a single currency as the initial priorities.

Magharebia: As a union of young people, have you experienced problems with organising events?

Filali: We have encountered some difficulties due to the current situation in the Maghreb. The lack of Maghreb unity is having an adverse effect on civil society, which is trying to play its part in breaking down social barriers in the region and undertaking joint initiatives.

The original plan was that the caravan would pass through Tripoli, Tunis, Algiers, Casablanca and then Oujda, but unfortunately we didn’t get the support we needed. However, the caravan still represents a step forwards for civilisation and dialogue. It will work towards bringing together both sides of the Mediterranean and improving relations with and among the Maghreb.

We’ve had a lot of problems in obtaining funding, and I’d like to take this opportunity to thank the Youth in Action programme of the European Union and the Agence de Développement de l’Oriental (Morocco) which have given significant and vital support to this initiative to promote peace.

Magharebia: Do you think your decision to work with young people will contribute to a united Maghreb and a world free from violence?

Filali: Young people want to thrive, live their lives and build a future for themselves. The Maghreb dream is anchored in people's subconscious. Despite the difficulties they face, this dream, which has yet to become a reality, will be passed down from one generation to the next. I

t's true that the situation is delicate and that the process of building a Greater Maghreb is currently in deadlock, but young people have an opportunity to join together and take their destinies into their own hands. While we share in the struggles and sacrifices of our parents to achieve freedom, as young people we have our own chapter of history to write – a chapter of reunification. We must do our duty and work to make the Maghreb and the world a viable environment for us and future generations.

Magharebia: How do you think young people in Europe and the Maghreb can deal with all this economic and social change?

Filali: In the globalised world we now live in, the young people of the Maghreb and Europe have a shared destiny and need to work together to overcome the difficulties they face.

The Maghreb is blessed with young talent, which means we’ll have more creativity, more artists, more technology experts, more scientists and more entrepreneurs in future. That's why we'd like to see genuine exchange and co-operation between young innovators from both sides of the Mediterranean. We believe this is an important mission because it can break down stereotyped and negative images of the Maghreb as a backward and impoverished region.

Magharebia: Is there any other statement, information or message that you would like to add?

Filali: We're launching this caravan in an attempt to begin a trend and honour our commitments to ourselves and our partners. We've already begun thinking about the second caravan, which will pass through all the countries of the Maghreb – if all our partners agree to participate.