The Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) program is pleased to announce the launch of recruitment for the 2019 LDF program.

LDF which stands for Leaders for Democracy Fellowships, is an advanced fellowship program for community and civic leaders (age 28-35) who are provided academic training on leadership, civic engagement, participatory governance, conflict transformation, and effective communication.

Fellows spend three months in the United States (for high-proficiency English speakers) or Lebanon (for high-proficiency Arabic speakers) to gain academic skills and practical experience as well as networking opportunities with like-minded peers and professionals.

English vs. Arabic Language Programs: 

In 2019, Fellows chosen to participate in the English language program will travel to the United States to first attend a four-week academic component at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina.  Program participants will subsequently be placed in host organizations aligned with their professional interests for an eight-week practicum experience in Washington, D.C.  Recognizing the high-level of English required for advanced study and residency in the United States, MEPI also offers an Arabic Language program that runs approximately the same time as the U.S. program.  In 2019, Fellows chosen to participate in the Arabic Language program will travel to Lebanon to first attend their academic component at the American University of Beirut. A similar eight-week practicum experience in Beirut will also be provided.

The Fellowship program in the U.S. and Lebanon will run from July until October 2019; exact dates will be provided at a later stage.

More information on the two programs is available at: https://lb.usembassy.gov/2019-leaders-for-democracy-fellowships/

Candidate’s Eligibility Criteria:

1. s/he is between the age of 28-35 years old at the time of the program (July-October 2019);
2. s/he has at least five years of experience working as a professional in a field related to one of the program’s primary themes (leadership, participatory governance, civic engagement, conflict transformation, and effective communication)
3. s/he has demonstrated a strong commitment, motivation and desire to remain working in this field for the foreseeable future and an equal commitment to being a leader of positive change within his or her own country.  Commitment most likely will include applying the experience gained through the Fellowship in developing and implementing a project that will benefit an organization, specific community and/or sector in their home countries;
4. s/he has exhibited leadership skills over time and the capacity to apply the experiences and opportunities presented in this program in a project that will benefit an organization, sector, or specific community upon her/his return;
5. s/he has strong English or Arabic language fluency sufficient to function successfully in a high-level academic and professional environment. Strong Arabic fluency is required for the Lebanon program and strong English fluency is required for the U.S. program;
6. s/he has at least a bachelor’s degree and the demonstrated ability to succeed in a demanding and intensive academic and professional organization environment;
7. s/he demonstrates tolerance and a desire to work collaboratively with a diverse cohort of peers irrespective of their gender, ethnicity, religion, political views and socioeconomic status; and
8. For the U.S. program, s/he has not already completed a similar academic degree or internship in the United States, and is not subject to any J-visa restrictions.

Applications:                                                                                          

• Interested applicants from USJ must fill and sign USJ's Outgoing mobility form and hand it to the International relations office of USJ.
• Interested candidates should submit their applications online for the U.S.-based and Lebanon-based programs at: https://www.worldlearning.org/program/ldf_apply 

Application deadline: March 1, 2019 for both

As with all U.S. Embassy-sponsored programs, the U.S. Government pays for all major expenses, including roundtrip airfare, accommodation, and health insurance. 

Competition is merit-based, and Lebanese citizens or long-term Palestinian residents in Lebanon from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply. Applicants will be considered without regard to race, religion, sex, age, and/or physical impairment.

​For any question related to the program, please address your inquiry to BeirutPD@state.gov or call 04-543600 ext. 4244.