SWEDISH DIALOGUE INSTITUTE FOR THE MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Amman, Jordan

Open call - Mutual Mentorship Programme 2026

The Mutual Mentorship Programme (MMP) brings together a diverse group of individuals from Europe, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), including the GCC countries, to engage in structured peer learning, meaningful networking, and continuous knowledge-building on issues of shared interest to the regions. Building on the EU’s renewed Pact for the Mediterranean (2025) and the EU’s Strategic Partnership with the Gulf (2022), the programme contributes to advancing people-to-people cooperation and deeper cross-regional understanding across Europe and the MENA-region. Launched in 2025, the pilot MMP targeted some 50 participants from across Europe and the MENA-region, pairing them to ensure cross-sectoral and intergenerational exchange. The programme follows a mutual mentorship model, where all participants act both as mentors and mentees, engaging in the exchange of perspectives and the joint development of ideas, and sharing insights and experiences with a view to fostering enhanced EU–MENA relations. The programme is implemented by the Swedish Dialogue Institute for the Middle East and North Africa (SDI), a governmental agency that serves as a platform for dialogue and cooperation between Sweden and Europe, and the countries of the Middle East and North Africa. SDI addresses political, economic, and social development, strengthens mutual understanding in culture and religion, and promotes the EU’s Mediterranean Partnership with the Southern Neighbourhood, with a focus on peace and security, sustainable development, and inclusive participation.