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Democracy Leaders
To whom it may concern:
It is with great pleasure that I submit my application for the MEPI Leaders for Democracy Fellowship Program .
My outstanding academic record combined with my volunteer activities make me an excellent candidate for your fellowship program which I believe offers me the greatest opportunity to expand my perception of leadership and democracy concepts and a chance to meet other like-minded people from middle east and north africa who are building grassroots movement in their local communities .
The lack of credibility of political elites is behind the legitimacy crisis that is facing the tunisian democratic system , as a result of its failure to address social inequities and employment problems that have been affecting a large segment of the tunisian population . It is also an evidence that election by popular vote is not sufficient to guarantee legitimacy which I personally think can only depend on the congruous representation of citizen's demands and interests by political actors , thus the need for citizens' co-responsibility in public affairs which mean a new political model that combines representative democracy with citizen participation.
In other words, good governance practices can be realized , only if the representative institutions capabilities for representing citizens' demands and for channelling and resolving conflicts are align with participatory processes that allow citizens to participate directly in negotiating and finding a consensus between public, community and private interests, based on the rights of citizenship .
I see your Fellowship Program initiatives to strengthen leadership and democratic spirit among young civic leaders as mandatory for ensuring democratic rights by enriching the role of representative democracy with greater citizen participation . This combination can lead to a democratic reform of the country and enhance the relationship between the government and the society, especially regarding reduction of social asymmetries and power relations .
I am always keen to meet new people and my interaction with people of different nationalities and backgrounds during my academic experience in the United States has broadened my mind and has impacted my personality and also my perception of others in a very positive way .
I believe by participating in discussion boards through the practical skills-building session and the professional assignment of the program , I would experience magnificent diversity of ways of thinking and I would learn how to interact with the tunisian society . With regards to the concept of conflict , it is important to understand this essential elements of democracy and to see it as a demand for more freedom , social participation, as well as a better distribution of political power rather than perceive it as a threat and I am confident that the academic portion of the program will help me to improve my conflict resolution approaches .
I have always believed that I can make a difference in changing the lives of others , by improving myself and serving as a role model for others . Indeed, after the Tunisian revolution , I had the privilege to participate with 2 non-profit organizations in community-related activities such as organizing fundraising events or conducting blood donation campaigns .
I am confident that I have the requisite aptitude and motivation to make a meaningful contribution to non-governmental organization after returning back to my home country but still need to further develop my skills through this challenging and rigorous 3 months experience in Washington, DC and most importantly I need figure out how I can pass what I know and learn on to others .
It has been always a honor to devote my time for volunteering works but there's still more to being a good citizen . it's now time to be part of the participatory process , so that tunisian citizens won't be easily manipulated, but understand what's going on and make rational decisions. Also it's time to take a bigger role in my community's well being , from very small one-time gestures to massive efforts whether in my neighborhood, my city, my country or the entire world , ensuring that the people in my community are loved, supported, valued . I believe that I have the capacity to make this commitment and accept the challenges , hoping that one day , I would be able to bring to my country a new era of valuing one another, a new period of love and respect which are needed to keep it moving smoothly and strongly .
I thank you for the opportunity to submit this application for your consideration and I hope you will take a favorable decision regarding my admission to the MEPI Leaders for Democracy Fellowship Program .
Very truly yours,