Trilateral programmes with the Maghreb
The trilateral work of the Franco-German Youth Office (FGYO) is rooted in the conviction that central questions about the future of Europe can only be answered in dialogue with neighbouring and bordering countries. Together, we can work to take on global challenges and secure peace, stability and prosperity on a liveable planet.
Right from the outset, the Mediterranean has been a space for exchange and intercultural dialogue. Projects carried out with the countries of the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean offer adolescents and young adults a framework in which they can develop a Euro-Mediterranean awareness. At the same time, the encounters sponsored by the FGYO examine issues of foreign policy – such as democracy and human rights, environmental protection and climate justice, the rule of law and pluralism.
In addition to civil-society engagement, in its interactions with partners and participants from the Mediterranean region, the FGYO attaches particular importance to the sharing of methods, educational tools and common intercultural experiences.
""Subsidies and benefits"
The FGYO supports trilateral projects with the following Mediterranean countries: Egypt, Algeria, Israel, Lebanon, Morocco, the Palestinian Territories, Turkey and Tunisia
Trilateral encounters are designed to contribute towards a better understanding of other cultures as well as one’s own. The FGYO and its partners tailor these programmes to the situation in participating project countries. Participants can then apply the knowledge they have gained to politics, on the job, in their private lives or on behalf of their civic engagement. The aim is to initiate processes of democratisation and to promote these in the long term.
Maghreb Special Fund: Empowering young people on the ground
The FGYO maintains relations with a host of different stakeholders and partners from the Maghreb countries. The aim is to engage in exchange and regular cooperation in the field of youth encounters in the region. With this in mind, the FGYO organises events and supports its partners through networking.
All trilateral exchanges with the countries of the Maghreb are designed to pursue a project idea and address topics of relevance for foreign policy. These topics might include the empowerment of civil society, participation by young people, employability, democracy and human rights, the promotion of equal opportunities, migration or environmental protection. The substance of the encounters must meet the requirements of the Maghreb Special Fund of the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, and it must be in accordance with the Guidelines of the FGYO.
"The topics"
Projects eligible for the Maghreb Special Fund for the year 2026 must address at least one of the following thematic areas:
A. Promoting democracy and youth participation in society
B. Human rights: working together for diversity
C. Encouraging debates on memory among young people and protecting cultural heritage
D. Mobilising young people to protect the environment and combat global warming
E. Supporting vocational training for young people, innovation and social entrepreneurship
Here you can find the call for projects for the 2026 Maghreb Special Fund in French or in German.
For additional information, you may consult the reports of the 2016 and 2018 conferences with Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia, as well as the list of programmes funded in 2025.
Research group “Penser la Méditerranée ensemble - transmediterrane Jugendpolitik” (Thinking the Mediterranean together - transmediterranean youth policy)
The FGYO is supporting a trinational, transdisciplinary initiative bringing together researchers, PhD students and students from Tunis, Aix-Marseille and Saarbrücken. Its aim is to pave the way for the creation of a Trans-Mediterranean Youth Office to strengthen exchanges and cooperation between the shores of the Mediterranean. Drawing on diverse research experiences, the group is developing proposals to make the Mediterranean a shared space. To find out more, click on this link. (Please note: there is no English version of the website. The languages available are French, German and Arabic).
