Antonine University (UA) was proudly represented by the Rector, Fr. Michel Saghbiny, and the Vice Rector for Cooperation and Internationalization (VRCI), Prof. Rony Darazi, during the final event of the Safir project, organized by the Institut français from November 16 to 18, in Paris. Accompanied by 170 beneficiaries, they met with public officials, actors in social and solidarity economy, as well as representatives from the French associative world. This meeting also allowed strengthening ties and capitalizing on the results achieved, with the aim of envisioning common perspectives for the engaged youth.

Safir is an ambitious program supported by the European Commission, in favor of youth and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 9 countries in North Africa and the Middle East. For 4 years, the Institut français and its partners, such as ANND, Lab’ess, Bloom, CFI, and AUF, supported 1,000 engaged young personalities and nearly 45 agents of change in the region (incubators, universities, and civil society organizations).

UA was selected among the beneficiaries of the Safir consortium, alongside 17 other universities in 9 countries in the North Africa and Middle East region. This project aligns perfectly with UA’s mission and strategic orientations, contributing to the strengthening of governance, by implementing a social responsibility policy for the University and a strategy focused on SDGs. It also facilitated the development of training and training the trainer education, integrating the social entrepreneurship component into the University’s curricula. Finally, UA established an incubation space to support projects, thanks to mentors trained in this field, with the ambition of promoting health and well-being.

UA’s participation in the final event of the Safir project was a unique opportunity to share best practices, exchange innovative ideas, and strengthen collaborations with international partners. UA continues to play a key role in education, research, and sustainable development by training and supporting engaged youth and promoting social progress in the region.