The ifa-Forum Dialogue and Understanding is a project within the framework of the “European-Muslim Cultural Dialogue” organized by the German Foreign Office.

CrossCulture Internships

Objective: increasing the intercultural, political and specialist knowledge and com petence of future representatives and multipliers of the Civil Societies from pre dominantly Muslim countries and Germany.

Approach

The CrossCulture internships address young people, already in employment, or just starting their careers, working on a volunteer basis for Non-Governmental Organisations and Institu tions, or in the media, and offers them an opportunity to develop their professional and intercultural competence, thus extending both the participating cultures’ ability and willingness to engage in dialogue.

The courses are intended for participants from Muslim countries and Germany. 

Objective

Through the internships young people can gain (at two levels) important experience within the context of their work: they obtain an overview of structures and potential contacts in the partner country which may prove useful for future coop eration, once the participants have returned to their home countries. This will enhance net working opportunities between organisa tions/institutions in Germany and in the Muslim world.

Practical work in an organisation/institution in the partner country will also give the partici pants an awareness of the cultural characteris tics and behavioural patterns of that country. Reintegrating returning participants into their original organisations/institutions will allow their insights to filter through. The participants` experience and ideas of dialogue and under standing will affect their institu tions`/organisations` work and thereby also be communicated to the public in their home countries.

Target Groups and Focus Areas

Knowledge society and education
Judicial dialogue and human rights
The media
Youth exchange
Political education

The target groups are young professionals and volunteer workers in different areas of Civil Society and people able to act as multipliers in institutions/organisations and the media that are relevant for reform processes.

In accordance with the results of the Arab Human Development Reports 2002, 2003 and 2004 Arab participants will primarily represent organi sations/institutions playing an important role in education and in the establishment of knowledge societies in the Arab/Muslim world in general.

Moreover, multipliers from institutions and organi sations active in other fields important for reform should be approached as well, primarily from areas such as judicial dialogue and human rights, the media, youth exchange and political education.

On the German side we target people active in the relevant partner organisations as well as young people working full-time or as volunteers in organisations and institutions where inter cultural experience constitutes a prerequisite for success at work.

Internship Structure

An internship will last for up to three months. The Stuttgart Institute for Foreign Cultural Relations will organize the application process, the provision of detailed information on the participation criteria and modalities in the Muslim world, supported by the German Embassies abroad. In Germany, the Institute for Foreign Cultural Relations will itself be respon sible.

Would-be participants in the CrossCulture internship programme are required to know German or English.

Travel expenditure and accommodation costs for participants will be paid from the project funds.

The internships will be accompanied by frame work events, individual visits and opportunities for meetings.

The CrossCulture Internships are special because they can to a large extent be customised as regards both content and organisation, according to the wishes and requirements of the participants.

The Programme is a new, flexible instru ment based on established structures and intending to further develop exchange and to bring the partners closer together.

Responsible for the ifa-Forum Dialogue and Understanding:

Barbara Kuhnert

kuhnert@ifa.de

Further information on the “Forum Dialog und Verständigung”: http://www.ifa.de

Project leader “CrossCulture Internships”:

Dr. Katharina Kilian-Yasin

kilian@ifa.de

Project assistant “CrossCulture Internships”:

Dr. Manuela Höglmeier

hoeglmeier@ifa.de

Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen e.V.

Charlottenplatz 17, D-70173 Stuttgart

Tel.: +49 711 22 25 - 143

Fax: +49 711 22 25 - 195