DANISH ARAB PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMME (DAPP)

Danmission believes that dialogue is needed in order to build sound societies. Danmission contributes to the capacity building of civil society and religious institutions, and adhering to mutual respect, support and tolerance, through dialogue and peace-building activities. Danmission works in the field of dialogue within and between political and religious groups, and strives to educate future leaders and opinion makers in the MENA region in dealing with religious diversity. This is why Danmission’s dialogue and capacity building initiatives not only include religious leaders but also the media, politicians, artists and researchers, both female and male.

The stability of social cohesion, and the ability to practise religious freedom, requires the development of intercultural citizenship. Intercultural citizenship is a citizenship that guarantees and encourages the participation of the entire population – Christian as well as Muslim – in public life and the political process, and at the same time makes room for individual religious identities. Faith-based organisations, religious institutions and religious leaders can positively influence developments in the MENA region, and support reform initiatives and rights-based societies. Religion and religious actors should not be a hindrance to democracy and reform but should form part of the solution. This is why Danmission supports and trains religious actors.

Vulnerable groups have to be taken into consideration. In a region where almost 65% of the population is under the age of 30; long-term development and stability depends on the opportunities offered to this age group. Youths in the Middle East are fighting for education, jobs and influence in society but, in order to become catalysts for more inclusive and democratic societies, they need more support. Although in some cases women have played a very proactive public role in society, often during revolutions in the region, they are most often in a weak social position, unorganised and therefore lacking in political influence.

Dialogue and networking are a way of securing reconciliation, knowledge and an understanding of each other, and therefore of influencing society to cope with and benefit from diversity. The needs are diverse and depend on the context, which varies from country to country, but the dialogue component and the need to understand others is common throughout Danmission’s work in the MENA region. Danmission aspires to creating the foundations for long-term cooperation and understanding between different cultures and religions, between different groups in Arab societies, and between societies in Denmark and in the MENA region.