YES Programs

MENU  

STORIES


Youth Impact on Extremism in Tunisia

Group

By Mondher Tounsi (YES 2013-14, Tunisia, hosted by AFS in Gibsonia, PA)

My experience in Pennsylvania as a YES student was a once in a lifetime opportunity, which I cannot articulate well enough to do it justice. YES taught me many things, notably self-development and perseverance. I had to step outside my comfort zone and face my fears in order to enjoy what the year had to offer. In the end, I came out a stronger person with a broader vision, and I started to look at my community in Tunisia through a different lens. I felt a moral obligation to better my society and to invite and encourage youth to take part in initiatives that would transform them into full-fledged leaders.

I was born in the region of Kasserine in west Tunisia, which is among the most marginalized areas in the country. Kasserine suffers from a high unemployment rate, crime, and lack of resources and development, making it vulnerable to terrorist activity and recruitment. It is in light of this that my 2015 YES alumni grant project, Youth Impact, emerged. The project’s ultimate goal was to counter violent extremism and eradicate radicalization in order to build peace and mutual understanding among youth. The project participants were 20 young “peace ambassadors,” selected from the region because of their passion and commitment to pursuing change. During the three-day workshop, the discussion topics included countering violent extremism; addressing violence, crime, and terrorism; introducing approaches to peacebuilding; and ideas for building sustainable social initiatives. Other session topics included storytelling, art as a tool for engagement, journalism, social entrepreneurship, peace talks, and conflict resolution. The workshop ended with an art and technology competition among the participants.

From the beginning, Youth Impact was supported by several groups, including the Young Leaders Entrepreneurs Association. To recruit the participants, we launched an online application and visited remote areas to promote the initiative. I was overwhelmed by the response we received.

The project happened in two phases. The first phase was “Peace Talk,“ a small get together where the peace ambassadors introduced themselves and learned about the importance of gaining leadership skills in order to seek opportunities and brand one’s self.

Quote Light Blue

The second phase of the project was a two-day training session at the Kasserine Youth Center. On the first day, participants discussed storytelling, the arts, and journalism. They came together to launch a blog where they can share insights and news about the region. On the second day, participants launched their own mock startups and social entrepreneurship projects then pitched their project ideas to coaches. 

Overall, I was very proud of what we accomplished. We formed bonds between 20 participants who promised to create a network of skilled young hopefuls after witnessing their own potential and learning about the opportunities that are available to them. We were surprised by the interest of media sources, such as TV channels that wanted to shoot special reports about the initiative or radio programs that wanted to inform the public about our activities.

The alumni participants of Youth Impact went on to implement their new knowledge and skills by launching the PeaceItOut Campaign to celebrate Peace Days from September 16-21. They also took part in Peace Lab, the first incubator to counter violent extremism through dialogue, arts, and entrepreneurship in schools in the four regions (Kasserine, Sidi Bouzid, Sejnane, and Mednine) most affected by terrorist recruitment and lack of education. The incubator was a success, and four divisions of Peace Lab were launched in these regions.

I would like to thank the Kennedy-Lugar YES Exchange and Study program and the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs for this opportunity. I would also like to acknowledge American Councils for International Education and AMIDEAST USA, as well as my teammates: Ahlem Nasraoui, an alumna of Study of The U.S. Institutes; Houcine Jedli  (YES ’16), hosted by AYUSA in Crystal River, FL; Louay Omri, a passionate civic activist in the region; and the U.S. Embassy in Tunis.

End

Share: