EU-funded project El-Hiwar III | LAS Study visit to the EU on “Strengthening Multilateralism and Civil Society Engagement in EU-League of Arab States Relations”
Within the framework of the EU-funded project El-Hiwar III, the College of Europe's Executive Education, Training & Projects Office organised a Study visit of the League of Arab States to the EU on “Strengthening Multilateralism and Civil Society Engagement in EU-League of Arab States Relations” on Tuesday, 1st July, and Wednesday, 2nd July 2025 in Brussels to foster EU-LAS dialogue and mutual understanding. Hosted by the European External Action Service, a delegation of ten officials from the League of Arab States Secretariat, headed by the LAS Civil Society Department, engaged with representatives from different EU institutions, services and committees, including the European External Action Service, the European Commission, the European Parliament, and the European Economic and Social Committee.
The two-day programme included presentations from the representatives of the LAS Department of Civil Society, the European Affairs Department, the Women Department, the Culture and Dialogue of Civilizations Department on the LAS approach to civil society and presentations from the European External Action Service and the European Commission on the EU engagement with civil society, particularly in its external relations. The presentations were complemented by a lively discussion on potential ways to reinforce multilateralism and civil society engagement in EU-LAS relations.
On the second day, the discussion focused on cooperation with civil society in the areas of environment, health, and social policies. Participants from the League of Arab States' Environment and Meteorology Department, the Development and Social Policies Department, and the Health and Humanitarian Aid Department presented various initiatives that engage civil society in their respective fields. Meanwhile, European Commission representatives showcased different initiatives and projects currently underway in the region regarding civil society.
The meeting provided an excellent opportunity for participants to familiarise themselves with the respective work on civil society, and the discussions helped identify specific common areas of interest and potential steps forward to enhance cooperation in this field.
The study visit concluded with a formal visit to the European Economic and Social Committee and the European Parliament, where participants from the League of Arab States had the opportunity to exchange views on the activities and roles of these EU institutions.
El-Hiwar III: Training and Information Course on Euro-Arab Diplomacy is a project funded by the European Commission's DG MENA and implemented by the College of Europe. It is conceived as a dialogue tool for the EU and the LAS to support the strengthening of working relations and to learn about each other's functioning, mechanisms and policies.
If you need more information, please do not hesitate to contact us at elhiwar@coleurope.eu.
More information about the project here: www.coleurope.eu/elhiwar
