Since 2015, life in Yemen has been severely affected by massive armed and political unrest, which has further destabilized the country and deepened the already existing divide between the north and south of the country. Despite the ongoing political conflict in Yemen and the significant risks faced by cultural workers, many of them persist in their work. This determination is evident in the vibrant cultural scene and the increasing demand for cultural offerings.
The Cultural Networks project aims to strengthen Yemen's cultural and civic life and promote active participation in society. It achieves this by providing training and support to local cultural workers and managers and by facilitating networking opportunities among local, regional and Yemeni cultural actors living abroad.
The project funding supports local cultural projects that specifically promote social discourse and social participation in Yemen.
In the first project cycle of 2020/21, a cohort of 10 mentors, each equipped with prior training through qualification measures and ToT (Training of Trainers) courses, provided support for 14 funded projects.
In the second project cycle of 2022/23, 17 mentors were trained to support the projects and 15 project ideas were funded, with a strong emphasis on promoting diversity and inclusion. These funded projects took place in different regions of Yemen, with at least half of the participants being women.
Cultural Networks Yemen is a project of the Goethe-Institut, funded by the Federal Foreign Office.
