Over 200 young people, hailing from about fifteen countries and territories, participated in the 4th edition of the ‘Our Future – Africa-Europe Dialogues’ forum, which took place in Mauritius on November 3, 4, and 5. Titled ‘L’horizon par-delà les frontières,’ this forum facilitated stimulating exchanges through a program comprising reflection workshops and debates, artistic installations and performances, a concert, serious games, as well as many friendly moments. The report of this forum, coordinated by the French Institute of Mauritius and the French Institute of Paris, was presented during an event at the French Institute of Mauritius in Rose Hill on Tuesday, December 12.
“As Aliocha Wald Lasowski, one of the main witnesses, said, this forum was all about ‘The Relation.’ The forum effectively explored the theme ‘Horizons Beyond Borders.’ This 4th edition has allowed us to identify, to date, three projects we will support over the next two years. Other proposals arising from the workshops are currently under consideration and could also lead to implementation,” stated Muriel Piquet-Viaux, Director of the French Institute of Mauritius.
Three Identified Projects
The major project is creating a youth media platform for the Indian Ocean. This initiative follows on from the media platform established during the forum. Indeed, to cover the forum, a team of young content creators was set up. Supervised by media and communication professionals, they produced numerous articles and videos published on social networks for three days.
This initiative will benefit from the expertise of ‘Zone d’Expression Prioritaire (ZEP),’ an innovative online media device that supports young people aged 15 to 25 to express themselves with professional journalists’ help. Writing, podcasting, and video workshops will begin in late January or early February 2024 in Mauritius. Potential partners have been approached in other territories, including La Réunion, to give this platform a regional dimension.
The second project to be supported is the creation of an Indian Ocean art collection. The foundations of this collection were discussed during a workshop held at the forum. The Regional Fund for Contemporary Art of La Réunion has been chosen to pilot this initiative. A curator will soon be appointed to coordinate the two-year research work. Once established, the collection will be intended to travel through the Micro-Folies network, digital museums set up by La Villette. The French Institute of Mauritius is, moreover, part of this network.
The third and final project is the ‘Borders Game.’ Created specifically for the forum, this serious game has both a playful and educational purpose, inviting players to explore issues related to borders and movement. The forum allowed it to be tested with a wide audience. The game will be edited and distributed from 2024, with facilitators trained to animate it.
Carbon Balance
The 4th edition of ‘Our Future – Africa-Europe Dialogues’ generated emissions equivalent to 124 tons of CO2. The air travel of regional and European participants was, of course, the main source of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). At the local level, the French Institute of Mauritius implemented several complementary measures to reduce the event’s environmental impact. Thus, all meals served during the three days were vegetarian. A specification sheet was imposed on the various service providers regarding the use of local and seasonal products. Dishes were served in reusable or recyclable containers. Following its recent environmental sustainability charter, the French Institute of Mauritius has committed to offsetting the GHG emissions generated by the organization of the forum by supporting a carbon sequestration project with strong environmental and social value.
