The Euro-Arab Foundation (FUNDEA) is a highly specialized institution that works within the fields of cooperation, training and research, creating a space for dialogue and collaboration between the countries of the European Union and the Arab League on the one hand, and between the local, regional, national and European social and institutional actors and its Arab and Islamic communities agents on the other.

FUNDEA is a non for profit research and education institution presided by the Spanish Ministry of Education. The board of trustees includes as well the Regional Government of Andalusia and the University of Granada. The Foundation is entrusted with promoting cultural, scientific and academic

relations between Europe and the Arab World, throughout the dissemination of scientific and humanistic knowledge produced in universities, research centres and civil society organizations, in order to contribute to the reinforcement of dialogue. For that purpose, the Foundation’s work is focused on the promotion of studies and researches as well as platforms and forums of discussion and debate. FUNDEA carries out high-level research and advanced training that focuses mainly on intercultural and religious dialogue, civil society, immigration, democratic governance and prevention of violent extremism and radicalization that lead to terrorism.

The Euro-Arab Foundation has its origins in a European Parliament resolution of March 30th 1984 (published in the O.J. of the European Communities on 30.4.84). It is a public institution with a unique composition and mission. Located in Granada (Spain) and ruled by a joint Board of Trustees chaired by the Secretary General for Universities. The Board of Trustees is further composed by two representatives from the University of Granada, two from the Ministry of Education and from the Government of Andalusia.

The Euro-Arab Foundation offers its research and training expertise in the areas of mutual understanding, multicultural co-existence promoting diversity richness as fundamentals for preventing and combating racism, xenophobia and other forms of intolerance. FUNDEA pays special attention to media literacy and critical thinking to build-up new positive narratives to counter hate speech and works on creating better understanding for the prevention of radicalization leading to violence. We have a broad experience formulating and implementing various European research projects focused on radicalization with outstanding consortia partners. FUNDEA has also implemented a large number of local, national and international projects dealing with active citizenship, human rights and cross cultural and religious dialogue.

Another major asset of FUNDEA is the Chair of Studies in Islamic Civilization and Renewal of Religious Thought (http://www.civilizacionislamica.fundea.org). The Chair was established by the Euro-Arab Foundation of Higher Studies under the auspices of Mominoun Without Borders Foundation for Research and Studies with the main aim of promoting research in Islamic civilization, as well as contributing to the establishment of the values and conditions of peaceful cooperation, solidarity, coexistence and dialogue between peoples and citizens.

One of the current more successful projects is the SISUMMA project Social Inititative of Support to Minorities through Media Activism, led by the Euro-Arab Foundation in consortium with Südwind (Austria), Association Mala Filozofija (Croatia), the Peipsi Center for Transboundary Cooperation (Estonia), and the Open Society Foundation (Slovakia) is co-funded by the European Commission through the programme Europe for Citizens.

SISUMMA aims to sensitize youths on diversity and multicultural coexistence, fostering trans-national debate among European youths from different countries and minorities, generating mutual understanding and common strategies to fight discrimination against vulnerable groups such as refugees and immigrants. SISUUMA will contribute to empower young Europeans to be active and critical citizens through media literacy so that they become independent agents of communication that will denounce hate speech against minorities and vulnerable communities and create alternative narratives that stand for tolerance and cross-cultural dialogue. At the end project will create a trans-European network of youths and sociopolitical actors that stand for equal rights of minorities such as immigrants and refugees, discussing and disseminating practical solutions that will ultimately provide a strong voice for the implementation of European and national policies to guarantee inclusive societies.

We have as well a wide experience in development of training and educational programs (including postgraduate programs, school training activities or dissemination to public) and we are used to actively incorporate the gender mainstreaming in all our activities, and develop specific gender-focus activities including our seminars, cycles and researches on Islamic feminism, gender Islamophobia and gender and security. FUNDEA currently developes the project To Know to Appreciate with students 7 – 13 years old to know basic issues of Islam and Muslims culture through innovative methodologies by using music, arts, comic or exhibitions together with the discussions and lessons.

FUNDEA pays special care to the different projects’ needs through an outstanding international team of professionals with remarkable experience and competence, as well as a high degree of specialization.

FUNDEA also counts on a network of internationally recognised external specialists who contribute to complement and provide an additional value to the different projects’ development.

Key Personnel

Inmaculada Marrero Rocha, Principal Investigator, Executive-Secretary of the Euro-Arab Foundation for Higher Studies, since February 2013. She is a doctor of the University of Granada in Arabic and Hebrew Cultures: Language, Literature and History (Department of Semitic Studies). She is head of projects of the Euro-Arab Institute of Education and Training Foundation, an organization based in Granada under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation in partnership with the Arab League, from December 5, 2012 to April 30, 2013.

Javier Ruipérez Canales, holds a PhD. Social Science Doctoral Programme. University of Granada. Research on Media activism to counter Islamofobia and Radicalization: common approaches to understand, prevent and combat extremism leading to violence with special focus in media narratives and counter-alternative narratives.

Hassan Laaguir, holds Master of Advanced Studies – Peace, Conflicts and Democracy. He has Strong background in peace studies, theories of conflicts and violence, democratization studies and research skills as well as in Management of Development Cooperation Projects. Mr Laaguir is in charge of cultural awareness. Hassan is manager of the Euro Arab chairs programme including Chair of Studies in Islamic Civilization and Renewal of Religious Thought (http://www.civilizacionislamica.fundea.org) and Chair of Amazigh studies.

Relevant publications and/or other products and services

Marrero Rocha, Inmaculada (2015) (ed.), Armed Conflict, Gender and Communication (Law - State & Society), Tecnos, Madrid, 2015.

Marrero Rocha, Inmaculada (2015), “Foreign Fighters and Jihadists: Challenges for International and European Security”, Paix et sécurité internationales 3, (2015), pp. 83-108.

Marrero Rocha, Inmaculada (2013), “International Community’s Responsibility to Protect in the Cases of Libya and Syria: A Comparative Analysis”. Relaciones Internacionales, 22 (2013), pp. 127-148.

Serrano Segura, Antonio (2016), EU policy responses to a shifting multilateral system, Palgrave Macmillan, London, 2016.

Ortega Rodrigo, Rafael (2010), The European Union and the Arab world. What do Arabs think of and expect from Europe?, Casa Árabe-IEAM/CIDOB, Madrid, 2010.