Call for Applications: Cultural Advocacy Training (Online) (closes 1 September)
Minority Rights Group
IT
Posted on Aug 14, 2025
Are you a cultural worker, artist, or human rights advocate who believes in the power of stories to challenge injustice? Do you want to use creative tools to amplify minority voices in Egypt? This training is for you.
Minority Rights Group is launching a unique online training opportunity to help you turn cultural expression into a force for advocacy, inclusion, and social change.
Background
Minority Rights Group (MRG) is an international non-governmental organization with over 50 years’ experience working with non-dominant ethnic, religious, and linguistic communities in nearly 60 countries. MRG holds consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and observer status with the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR). MRG is registered as a charity and a company limited by guarantee under English law.
As part of its global mission, MRG invests heavily in capacity building, with a focus on empowering civil society organizations (CSOs), especially those led by or working with minority and indigenous communities. This includes training, mentoring, and grantmaking aimed at supporting inclusive, sustainable advocacy.
The Strengthening Minority Voices (SMV) programme (2023–2026) promotes the rights of Egypt’s religious, ethnic, and gender minorities through strengthened advocacy, increased protection for human rights defenders, and stronger collaboration between minority and majority CSOs.
About the Cultural Advocacy Training
This training is designed to strengthen the capacity of individuals and organizations working at the intersection of culture and human rights. It builds on foundational knowledge of minority rights, intersectionality, and project design, while focusing specifically on the power of culture, art, media, and technology as tools for advocacy.
The training explores how cultural narratives can be reclaimed to resist exclusion and marginalization. Participants will learn how to analyze dominant representations, challenge symbolic erasure, and develop creative strategies to amplify the voices and lived experiences of minority communities.
Through this course, MRG aims to support cultural actors and human rights defenders to:
- Recognize and address discriminatory patterns in cultural production
- Build critical and reflective cultural advocacy initiatives rooted in lived realities
- Use creative expression and digital tools to support inclusive narratives and influence public discourse
- Link cultural work with broader human rights efforts, including economic empowerment and collective memory
The training combines theoretical reflection with practical application, equipping participants with the skills, frameworks, and confidence to design cultural advocacy projects in their own communities and organizations.
Who Should Apply?
This training is intended for:
- Everyone is welcome to apply, the priority will be granted to Individuals working or volunteering with cultural organizations, initiatives, or collectives in Egypt.
- Artists, creatives, cultural managers, and digital content creators
- Community leaders, educators, and practitioners using storytelling, media, or visual culture
- Activists and defenders working at the intersection of minority rights and cultural expression
- Applicants who are motivated to build advocacy projects using cultural tools and frameworks including digital tools
What You Will Gain
- Practical tools to build cultural advocacy initiatives
- knowledge and skills on how to approach minority topics from a cultural perspective?
- Access to expert trainers and real-life case studies
- Personalized feedback on your project idea
- Opportunities to apply for small grants from MRG
- A certificate of completion from Minority Rights Group
- A space to connect with other creatives, activists, and organizations across Egypt
Course Objectives
By the end of the course, participants will be able to:
- Analyze how culture, media, and technology contribute to discrimination or advocacy
- Apply intersectional frameworks to cultural work with minority communities
- Use tools such as storytelling, digital art, performance, or visual narratives for advocacy
- Design creative, community-rooted advocacy initiatives
- Strengthen project management and implementation skills for cultural action to support minority rights.
Course Structure
Modules
The course will be delivered online over eight weeks, and includes self-paced modules on:
- Minority Rights and Intersectionality
- Cultural Advocacy
- Project Design and Management
Project Development
Participants will refine a cultural advocacy project idea, with support from trainers. The training is structured so that participants leave with a clear, developed advocacy concept relevant to their context.
Interactive Components
Webinars, expert talks, case studies, group discussions, and collaborative exercises will enrich the learning process and connect participants across sectors.
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must:
- Be based in Egypt
- Work or volunteer with a cultural organization, platform, or initiative
- Demonstrate commitment to minority rights and/or cultural justice
- Be available to participate in the full training cycle
- Submit a project idea as part of the application
Project Idea (Required in Application)
Applicants are required to submit a brief project idea (no more than 5–7 lines) that includes:
- Project Title
- What issue or problem it addresses
- Target community
- Artistic or cultural tool being used (e.g., podcast, visual art, public performance)
- Expected outcome or goal
This concept will be refined during the course with trainer guidance.
Expected Outcomes
Upon completion of the training, participants will:
- Deepen their understanding of minority rights, intersectionality, and cultural advocacy.
- Strengthen their ability to analyze cultural discrimination and media bias.
- Gain practical skills in advocacy design, especially using cultural tools.
- Finalize a draft cultural advocacy initiative.
- Be eligible for priority access to small grants under the SMV programme.
How to Apply
Please submit the following:
- Completed application form
- Updated CV
Please name your submitted files using the following format and upload it here
Strengthening Minority Voices Programme
Minority Rights Group is launching a unique online training opportunity to help you turn cultural expression into a force for advocacy, inclusion, and social change.
Egypt – Cultural Advocacy Training (Online)
Are you a cultural worker, artist, or human rights advocate who believes in the power of stories to challenge injustice? Do you want to use creative tools to amplify minority voices in Egypt? This training is for you. Minority Rights Group is launching a unique online training opportunity to help you turn cultural expression into a force for advocacy, inclusion, and social change.
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For the Application Form: FirstName_LastName_CulturalAdvocacy2025.docx
Example: Salma_Hassan_CulturalAdvocacy2025.docx
For the CV: FirstName_LastName_CV
Example: Salma_Hassan_CV.docx
Deadline: 01/09/2025
Please note that due to the high volume of applications, only shortlisted or accepted candidates will be contacted.
Inclusion
MRG strongly encourages applications from individuals who identify as members of minority communities, women, persons with disabilities, and LGBTQIA+ individuals. Please feel free to indicate relevant lived experience or perspectives in your application.
All personal data will be handled in accordance with GDPR regulations and our internal security protocols to ensure the safe handling, storage, and protection of information. For inquiries, contact us through this link