Summary of the exchanges
Hosts: Swann HAREL, Youth Project Manager, REF / Hend HASSASI, Tae'thir Project Coordinator, REF
Moderator: Sondos FAQUIH (Palestine)
Speakers: Omnia AOU EL-NOUR (Egypt); Ahmed MERZAGUI (Algeria); Salvador CARNICERO (Spain)
Sondos FAQUIH – member of COPIL Jeunesses Med – Palestine
In the introduction of this webinar, Sondos recalled that Palestine is a victim of genocide. However, young people play a very important role in highlighting this situation, especially on social networks. Through their mobilization, they convey a real image of what Palestinians have been experiencing since October 7.
Salvador CARNICERO – member of Jeunesses Med – Spain
Salvador is a Spanish journalist and podcast director. His podcast La Leyenda del Tiempo , is a true tool for social engagement. Through the episodes, he addresses crucial issues such as politics, human rights, migration, art and culture, and feminism. For Salvador, La Leyenda del Tiempo goes far beyond the scope of a simple podcast; he considers it a living and committed community radio. This project was born from the writing of a thesis exploring migration as a fundamental aspect of the human condition, with the aim of fostering a constructive debate on migration, in response to the often negative discourses associated with it.
The name of the podcast is inspired by a song by the famous flamenco singer Camarón de la Isla, La Leyenda del Tiempo , a tribute to the poet Federico García Lorca, assassinated at the beginning of the Spanish Civil War by the troops of the fascist dictator Francisco Franco.
For Salvador, this podcast embodies a lasting commitment, based more on the artistic aspect of the content than on its simple informative function. More than a media product, he seeks to make it a real work. La Leyenda del Tiempo stands out for its inclusive and feminist character, giving voice to marginalized populations often ignored by traditional media. These include migrants, refugees, asylum seekers, stateless people, people of gypsy origin and young people under 35.
The podcast has thus created a true transnational community, a space for sharing and exchange beyond borders. However, the main challenge Salvador faces remains the lack of funding, which limits the time he can dedicate to his project. Despite this, La Leyenda del Tiempo is an undeniable success, with several participants having been nominated for prestigious awards. For Salvador, his greatest achievement remains to have acted as an ambassador for his podcast and the story that surrounds it on the international scene.
Ahmed MERZAGUI – member of Jeunesses Med and participant of the Tae'thir project – Algeria
Ahmed is an Algerian visual artist and development and humanitarian project administrator. His commitment began in 2008, when he became involved as a volunteer in several associations working on themes such as youth, education and the environment. This commitment was consolidated in 2014 when he became a project administrator, still as a volunteer. From 2016, Ahmed broadened his scope of action towards culture and art, particularly cinema, by launching a film club project and organizing film screenings followed by debates at the Tlemcen Cinematheque. After completing his studies in 2019, Ahmed moved abroad and worked in several international NGOs.
Alongside his humanitarian commitment, his artistic journey also began early. First a writer, he began writing plays, then a theatrical practice by playing in various troupes. His approach to visual art began in 2015, when he acquired his first film camera, a step that led him to his first exhibition in 2017. From 2018, he explored new creative horizons, including videography, sound and new media.
Ahmed is also an active member of the cultural association "La Grande Maison", which works to preserve intangible and cultural heritage, in particular by highlighting the legacy of Mohamed Dhib, a great Algerian writer and source of inspiration for Ahmed in his artistic work and his commitment.
His art is particularly interested in social, societal and identity themes. He seeks to question human psychology and introspection, always starting from a personal story that he transforms into a universal experience, with which many other people can identify.
As part of Tae'thir , Ahmed is leading a project called "Your Life is a Career: The Boutefteens", launched in 2019, with the emergence of the Hirak in Algeria. This event drew his attention to the diversity of Algerian youth, who today form two generations: Generation Y, born in the 80s-90s, and Generation Z, from the end of the black decade and the Bouteflika era, until the rise of the smartphone in 2009. This project aims to analyze generational differences and their implications for the future of Algeria. It will result in the creation of an art booklet, a video and a website. This project is part of a broader approach of research and questioning, seeking to encourage his viewers and himself to reflect.
As part of his commitment, Ahmed faces several challenges, particularly regarding access to art and culture, especially in the Algerian context. He also has to deal with a constant dilemma: that of independence, between the temptation to devote himself fully to what he loves and the need to comply with the demands imposed by external funding.
Omnia ABU EL-NOUR – Tae'thir project participant – Egypt
Omnia is an Egyptian artist and trainer. As part of the Tae'thir project, she made a documentary film about two Egyptian cities: Alexandria and Nuba. Although these two cities differ greatly in terms of geography, culture and tradition, they nevertheless share one thing in common: urban development and modernization. In this process of modernization, Omnia emphasizes that the specificities and characteristics of these societies are often ignored. Originally from Nuba and living in Alexandria, she draws on the testimonies of elderly people from both cities, as well as young people, in this documentary in order to reflect a diversity of perspectives.
Omnia chose visual art as a means of engagement because she fully identifies with it. For her, visual art is a free space where she can express her opinions easily, reach a wide audience and express herself immediately. It is a breeding ground for creativity and imagination, a means of expression without barriers. According to Omnia, art and creativity are tools that allow her to talk about the challenges she faces, while providing an accessible way to share her ideas with the public, without the need for complex language. She also adds that documentaries have a unique advantage: regardless of the language, emotions and opinions can be transmitted and perceived, thus allowing for authentic exchanges.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, Omnia filmed her first documentary with her mobile phone, which focused on the lives of young people in Alexandria and Nuba.
For Omnia, the people she can have a real impact on are children and young people. That is why art was her choice as a form of engagement.
Like the other panelists, Omnia faces several challenges. The main one is the lack of financial resources. However, far from discouraging her, this has stimulated her creativity and pushed her to adapt. Another challenge she faces is the difficulty of conveying her message to the target audience of her projects.
