TAE’THIR CALL FOR APPLICATIONS

T H E M E “Resisting Defeatism”

Humanity has endured endless tests throughout the recent decades, with the past year proving particularly devastating. The ongoing genocidal wars in Gaza and Sudan, the ruthless wars in Lebanon, the protracted war in Syria, the continued invasion of Ukraine, and other crises around the world along with the senseless loss of human life, has cast a long shadow over our collective consciousness.

2024 was further marked by escalating violence, political instability, and deepening humanitarian crises, which have testing the limits of our ability to remain sane and united. The political instability in the Southern Mediterranean sub-region, with the consolidation of autocratic and oppressive regimes, further exacerbates the sense of helplessness. At the same time, the rise of illiberal regimes and the normalization of far right and anti-rights discourse across Europe increasingly challenge democratic values and human rights. In this context, could the call to resist defeatism inspire us to envision futures where dignity, justice, and freedom are not just ideals but also tangible realities?

Resisting Defeatism deliberately juxtaposes two opposing poles: defeatism, which implies passive acceptance of difficult circumstances, and resistance, which suggests a refusal to be shaped by external forces. These two forces are not mutually exclusive; they can coexist within the human experience. In today’s context, this dialogue between defeatism and resistance takes on profound significance, particularly in the face of political, societal, and environmental challenges. How does resisting defeatism shape new possibilities in the face of adversity?

Defeatism sometimes emerges as a coping mechanism in response to overwhelming hardship. It allows us to function amidst chaos but at the cost of silencing our inner hope and imagination. Resistance, in contrast, is an act of defiance that reignites our capacity to dream, create, and act.

In the realm of the mind, the tension between intellect and imagination often defines the contours of our internal struggles, where resistance to change or understanding emerges from the interplay of these forces. As such, far from being an act of escapism, imagining and theorizing new possibilities is a radical gesture that challenges despair. It allows us to envision alternative ways of being, thinking and feeling; creating internal spaces where hope can exist even in the absence of external change. Resisting defeatism, therefore, is about refusing to let the weight of the world strip us of our ability to dream and act.

The binary opposition between resistance and defeatism is not a simplification of one as virtuous and the other as passive, but rather an invitation to explore and question the underlying tensions, imbalances, connections, and moments of rupture between these two forces. It asks us to examine the complexities and nuances in our responses to adversity, recognizing that both defeatism and resistance can coexist, evolve, and inform each other in ways that challenge our perceptions and actions. How can we embrace the complexity of these two forces, recognizing that they are not absolute but evolve and shape our actions over time?

Arts and content creation can play a major role in supporting and promoting human rights among young people in the context of a massive decline in liberties. Artistic work and content creation can challenge dominant narratives and inspire critical thinking, enabling individuals, particularly youth, to envision alternative futures, making the arts and content creation vital forces in shaping a collective imagination. Tae’thir project aims to respond to the lack of physical and virtual spaces for dialogue and creation by encouraging the promotion of a culture of human rights in the Mediterranean through the artistic and digital practices of young people. Both contemporary art forms and digital content creation serve as dynamic mediums through which the complexities of “Resisting Defeatism” can be explored, interpreted, and communicated.

This theme asks participants to reflect on the ways their creative practices can push against defeatism and nurture resistance, fostering collective hope in the process. This desire to aspire collectively for change and the confidence in the power that artists and digital content creators can have to promote human rights principles, despite the current context of our Mediterranean region, is the silver lining that our project Tae’thir is structured around.

We shall examine the theme of “Resisting Defeatism’ from different perspectives:

• Can art and content creation create “impossible spaces” that challenge the laws of reality? How can these spaces become havens for hope and action, free from the constraints of the real world?
• How can emotions such as sadness, anger, or love ignite collective resistance? How can art and content creation redirect these emotions to become catalysts for change instead of pathways to defeatism?
• What role do artists and content creators play in society, given their inherent propensity to raise questions stemming from their own inquiries? Similarly, what significance does art and digital content creation hold in society? How can we consistently challenge the status of artwork, the artist’s role, and the position of art within our societal framework?

TAE’THIR PROJECT

Promoting human rights in the Mediterranean through young people’s digital and artistic practices

Tae’thir project – ‘influence’ in Arabic – is the continuation of a long-standing reflection on the evolution of new forms of mobilization and advocacy for human rights in the Mediterranean. The project is led by Réseau Euromed France (REF), the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS), les Instants vidéo numériques et poétiques and the Ligue de l’enseignement des Bouches du Rhône . The four organizations referred to as a consortium have been working for years on issues linked to the defense of human rights, the promotion of active citizenship and access to art and culture for all in contexts that are becoming increasingly restrictive.

Tae’thir project aims to open up spaces for the exchange of ideas and creativity by encouraging the promotion of a culture of human rights in the Mediterranean through the artistic and digital practices of young people.

The project was launched in September 2023 in Marseille for a 3-year period and is financially supported by the Agence française de développement, Interministerial Delegation for the Mediterranean – French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs,  and the Fondation de France.

The first cycle of the Tae’thir project kicked off in February 2024 and is still underway. It will conclude with the presentation of digital works and art productions in Marseille in October 2025 during Les Instants Video 2025 Festival.

This call for applications is in the framework of Cycle 2 of the Tae’thir project, which will engage young artists and content creators from 17 Mediterranean countries in a cycle of activities based around:

• An online training/reflection cycle offering participants an in-depth exploration of human rights issues—patriarchy, criticism, and censorship—while fostering awareness, critical reflection, and connections to art and content creation. It also provides a platform for participants to exchange and share experiences on these issues.
• A mentoring cycle with the aim of supporting participants in the process of producing and disseminating their artistic and digital productions by helping them to structure and formalize their project in all its aspects (financial, technical, and the project brief drafting). Participants will be given personalized support in compiling an artistic/content creation dossier.
• A multi-stakeholder workshop in Marseille with the aim of promoting exchanges between artists, content creators, and local actors. This key moment in the program will enable participants to build connections, develop new collaborations, and benefit from valuable opportunities to enrich their artistic and content creation practices and increase the visibility of their projects.

Only 10 to 11 digital works and artistic productions will have the opportunity to:

• Be financially supported with a maximum of €3,000 to be allocated per The announcement of the award of the sub-grant is due in September 2025 following the completion of the three aforementioned activities.
• Be presented to the public in Marseille, France in May 2026.

For more information on the application requirements and the program of this edition, here

Please use the provided link to access the online form and submit your application.