Oyoun Masr Association

Vision: Euro-Mediterranean Citizenship, Sense of Belonging of each and everyone.

Mission: Spreading social peace, coexistence, dialogue between cultures and discarding conflicts and stereotypes among the different cultures.

In 1997, a group of Egyptian youth, started their activities in Students’ Union in Secondary Schools in the “Mountazah Education zone”, Alexandria. They agreed to have as objectives to achieve understanding among the Egyptian youth, to promote the voluntary work and social entrepreneurship, to increase the community participation in the Civil Society Organizations, to promote human rights principles and democratic participation.

After joining the university in September 2000, Mostafa Abbas-head of Students' Union in Gamal Abd El-Nasser Military High School for pioneers- suggested forming "Oyoun Masr"(Egypt Eyes) clans inside faculties and universities, embracing the same objectives, materials and symbols. It was a unique experience which raised students' awareness and interest in the clans.
Soon the idea spread in many universities in Egypt.

In 2003, our special hardworking made the Egyptian minister of Youth at that time, Dr. Ali Al-Deen Helal to describe it as being a “good and remarkable activity”.

By the efforts of young people, the dream came true and Oyoun Masr Association was declared under the number 1639 on 27/04/2004 for cultural and social development in the Directorate of Social Affairs in Alexandria, the oldest one of the founders is 20 years old!

In January 2015 it was established our headquarter on the other side of the Mediterranean, in Amsterdam, the Netherlands in partnership with the Egyptian community in Amsterdam, to foster the Euro-Mediterranean Citizenship, sense of belonging of each and everyone.

The most important goals of the association, which we are seeking to achieve:-

1) We work on spreading the culture of peace of non-violence and no conflicts in general for the sake of:
• Creating a connected international community of volunteered youth, for the sake of sharing knowledge and providing the mutual support and information.
• Spreading both social peace and dialogue between cultures and the peace of non-violence and discarding conflicts through many programs and projects.
• Emerging the role of art and music heritage to unify the people.
• Providing guidance, support and help for youth in those places where there are violence, conflicts or racism in any country of the world.
• Emerging the role of youth and testing their potentials under the routine regime of the senior authorities' initiations; to achieve peace through activation of civil society performance in this issue.
• Providing reports and guidelines for decision makers about the needs of international community to achieve peace and discarding violence and terrorism.

2) Spreading the culture of voluntary work and Human Rights protection among the individuals of society, through:
• Cultural and social awareness for the different sectors of the society, especially youth.
• Discussing youth problems and trying to find logical and practical solutions for them.
• Studying and establishing the projects which aim at servicing Human Rights programs in general.

3) Developing the skills of youth through:
• Encouraging the co-operation between the associations and foundations of civil society and youth.
• Arranging training courses which aim at creating young, qualified and distinguishing cadres in all fields, in cooperation with the specialized center and authorities.
• Studying and establishing the projects that aim at servicing and developing society and achieving the sustainable development.

- Quick Facts about our association:

- OMA is a member of the Mediterranean Autonomous Network of Youth – Cosenza, Italy.

- OMA Egypt obtained the prize of the last Prof. Adel Abou-Zahra in the field of the freedom of expressing opinion and dialogue, from Bibliotheca Alexandrina, at the closing session of "The Arab Reformation Conference" (March 2006).

- OMA Egypt mentioned in the booklet of "The Successful Experiences in the Arab World", which was issued in the Arab Youth Conference "Culture of Thinking and Reformation" (February 2007), Bibliotheca Alexandrina.

- OMA Egypt is the first elected head of Egyptian National Network of Anna-Lindh Euro-Med Foundation for Dialogue between Cultures 2012/2013.

- OMA Egypt is a member of the Union's regional civil societies and private institutions in Alexandria, Egypt.

- OMA Egypt, The former head of the North African network, African Youth Panel under the Danish African Commission 2010/2012.

- OMA's head of board of directors in Egypt Mr. Mostafa Abbas, is the spokesman of youth culture committee of the supreme council of culture, Egypt.

- OMA Egypt is the head of the Egyptian National Network of the EuroMed Youth Federation.

- OMA's head of board of directors in Egypt Mr. Mostafa Abbas, is the head of the EuroMed Youth Federation, Brussels and Berlin.

- OMA's Head of board of directors in Netherlands Mrs. Salwa El-Shaer, is the Head of the International Federation of Egyptian women in Europe.

- OMA Netherlands is a member of the Dutch National Network of Anna-Lindh Euro-Med Foundation for Dialogue between Cultures.

- OMA Netherlands is the head of the Dutch National Network of the EuroMed Youth Federation.

- Examples of our projects:

1. The project of "Made in EuroMed", www.madeineuromed.com

2. The project of "Civilization Ambassadors Winter Camp", www.cawcegypt.com

3. The project of "In short and fruitful", http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGjvV-UHnf8