Bird Nest 2

BIRDNESTBIMONTHLYMay 20, 2008

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BIRDNEST

The Bimonthly Reader’s Digest of the Network of English-Speaking Tunisians Hi Again !

KEYNOTE By Stephen Day, Chairman, British Tunisian Society

Welcome to the second issue of the BIRD. We are delighted to see that the NEST membership is steadily increasing, and feel particularly grateful to those of you who offered to contribute to this issue. We would also like to give a particular word of thanks to Zied Laaribi in Canada for all the effort he has put in the newsletter’s design.

In the course of a 32-year career with the British Government – first in the Colonial Service and later with the Foreign Office – my family travelled around the world, living in places as far apart as Western Canada and Hong Kong. Indeed, I had the opportunity to cross the Sahara (in mid-summer; not to be recommended), stay with my wife in the Empty Quarter, and sit in the midnight sun at Alert, the furthest point North on the If you wish to become globe. But the a regular BIRD columnist place that left you are most welcome to do t h e d e e p e s t so. If you prefer to provide m a r k was us with one-off input that is Tunisia. fine too; all you need to do is send us your contribution From my to perspective, it [email protected] was a lucky a week before the appointment. publication date. By purest chance, I was the first new In this issue we hear Ambassador to from people across four arrive after 7 continents. Some of them November tell us about their personal 1987. During experiences of Tunisia and my first month other countries, while others in post I had reflect on events they visits from the attended or particular Chairman of themes they wish to raise the British awareness about. We hope Council and the you will enjoy. then Home S e c r e t a r y, Douglas – now Lord – Hurd; so there were three calls on the new President. We acknowledged frankly that the British connection with Tunisia BIRDNEST Team amounted to a flourishing

Issue 2, May 20th, 2008

tourism sector and precious little else. The British Council operation was about to close and two of the four visible British investments in the country were on the point of leaving. The fact that there was no further way down was rather refreshing; we had nothing to lose and we had every encouragement to innovate. The new Government in Tunisia was open to radical new ideas. President Ben Ali was clear that the country had to

open up to the English-speaking world, create conditions in which private capital could flow, and privatise public sector concerns. In the course of four active years we brought in new investments

from the UK, including British Gas’s commitment to develop Tunisia’s substantial off-shore gas reserves. The British Council decision to close its office was reversed and a major expansion put in place, with English language teaching satellites in Sfax and inside official agencies such as the Central Bank and Energy Ministry. At that time the Arab League and PLO headquarters were in Tunis, both involving our small diplomatic team in exciting negotiations, usually late into the night. My government established a formal dialogue with the PLO and assisted the Americans to follow suit. The Madrid conference offered hope of a just settlement of this bitter dispute. It was a good time to be a diplomat, in a capital where important events were happening. The Tunisian authorities deserve great credit for the role they played in establishing the environment in which diplomacy flourished. But for my family, the lasting legacy was the engagement of a daughter to a brilliant Tunisian film director, Moez Kamoun, who had led Tunisian teams on Star Wars and The English Patient. We returned to Tunis for an unforgettable wedding in Carthage, celebrated in the “Roman villa” overlooking the Mediterranean under a clear moonlit sky. No-one could have wished for a more lovely scene,

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BIRDNESTBIMONTHLY May 20, 2008

nor a happier, more cosmopolitan a Tunisia trade conference on the 8th of group of friends and relatives to join us May 2008. The conference was held by in wishing the couple well. the Middle East Association in partnership with the Tunisian Embassy in So now we are anchored to Tunisia London, FIPA Tunisia and Clifford with close family bonds. Two Chance LLP. This is part of a threeremarkable grand-daughters give us a m o n t h deep, long-term perspective. Our “rebranding daughter and her husband built up a programme” flourishing film production company, t h a t is Sindbad, working with the BBC and US organised by companies. Since 1987 we have seen the our embassy: country develop steadily, the shops filling T u n i s i a ’ s with goods, the infrastructure expanding, Spring on the the educational and health facilities now Thames. The of international quality. Yet it retains its c o n f e r e n c e beauty and a joy in the simple things in was very well life. attended, attracting I am sometimes asked if I more than “understand” Tunisia and I have to 2 5 0 admit I am still learning. It is a complex representatives society, the product of thousands of years of Tunisian, UK and Gulf companies. of history and countless invasions. To a Prominent figures from the government, British visitor, it falls into no category – it the diplomatic corps and the private is not just African, or Arab, or sector gave an overview of investment Mediterranean, but a mix of all three, opportunities in our country, highlighting and all the more interesting for that. in particular the opportunities that will Like a Swiss watch, its small size hides be available to UK firms as more gulf great complexity and intricate investments keep pouring in at an mechanisms that are not easily identified unprecedented pace. by the British visitor. (Maybe you Tunisians find us British just as strange?) The overarching message is quite So I welcome the emergence of new clear: Tunisia is now open for large-scale associations, both commercial and social, investment! With a sound middle class, a that bring our two peoples together. We per capita GDP that is fast approaching have much to learn from each other, and the EU average, a diversified economy much to enjoy in the other’s country. and a thriving private sector, the country has all what it takes to become a Mediterranean business platform. News from the UK Representatives of mega development Tunisia Finance and such as the Tunis Financial Investment Conference projects Harbour and Enfidha Industrial Park in London emphasised Tunisia’s key strengths: a tradition of openness to foreign exchange By Tarek Cheniti (UK) The magnificent premises of that dates back to Carthage; a deeply Clifford Chance in Canary Wharf hosted entrenched entrepreneurial culture; a

highly-skilled local workforce, a businessfriendly rule of law; a steady, crisis-free economic growth; geographic proximity to Europe, Africa, and the Middle-East; and the longstanding history of British investment in Tunisia. The event was a success and I s e n s e d g e n u i n e interest in our country. We certainly ought to build on this with this success by looking at possible ways of improving our marketing in the UK. For example, we should pay attention to the fact that government oversight, however benevolent it is, is not a selling point in a country like Britain where public intervention in the economy is traditionally kept to a minimum. A better approach would only emphasise those aspects of the Tunisian legislation which protect property rights, stimulate competition and foster market expansion. Moreover, we must consider including presentations from the Tunisian community of financiers in London at future investment conferences. Indeed, these individuals are now fully integrated in the city and their experience, insight and professional contacts can give a huge boost to our business relation with the UK. An overview of the programme is available on the MEA website: http://www.the-mea.co.uk/

Innovaxin International Ltd Innovaxin International Limited is a company based in Malta and is fostering a network of business development agents in Malta, Libya, Tunisia and Sicily. We strongly belief that the Central Mediterranean Area is full of potential for synergies in various fields such as Health, Tourism, Education, Retailing, Real Estate and Technology. We are seeking to establish contact with individuals, directors and companies in Tunisia specifically on behalf of our client who want to invest, import, export and do business with Tunisian companies.

Contact us at [email protected]

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BIRDNESTBIMONTHLYMay 20, 2008

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prospective teachers to engineers, of glass again. What better way to raise business people, journalists, etc. the profile of the land of Hannibal (a In the footsteps of second-to-none war general but also a Mongi Slim & Hedi The concept is appealing in Tunisia savvy diplomat himself)? What better way Annabi in that it does not require substantial to help bolster foreign investments in the resources…only a nucleus of individuals land of Kairouan, an environment of By Slim Menzli (USA) who can launch a nationwide initiative in peace and trust and an oasis of Although the concept is totally high schools and colleges. Such initiative moderation and openness. Clearly unknown in Tunisia, Model United would be ideally implemented in the diplomacy is more than just selecting the Nations (MUN) would offer an excellent form of local clubs in high schools and color of one’s necktie in the morning. training platform for Tunisian youth. It is never late to jump A Tu n i s i a n U N on the bandwagon though and Secretary General – build on the experience of armed with at least three pioneering countries. Just like (Arabic, English and flight simulators for pilots in French) out of the six training, Model United Nations UN official languages is a series of simulation exercises (the three others being of actual United Nations Spanish, Mandarin and sessions in different committees. Russian) will definitely Be it the General Assembly, the be in a well-placed Security Council, the position when pushing UNESCO, The UNICEF to negotiations on the West name just a few, “young Sahara issue between participants must employ a Algeria and Morocco variety of communication and and even the thorny critical thinking skills in order to Middle Eastern peace universities with students administering represent the policies of their different procedures form A to Z and meeting process. Did Tunisia not host the countries. These skills include for preferably on a weekly basis. Obviously Palestinian authority back in 1982 after instance background research, public there will be a strong need for Yasser Arafat was ousted from Beirut on speaking, small group communications, supervisors, people with a solid the aftermath of the Israeli invasion of policy analysis, active listening, background in International Relations, Lebanon while being at the same time negotiating, conflict resolution, note International Law, Political Sciences and home to several thousands of Tunisian taking, and technical writing.” Communication. Since the experience Jews in the island of Djerba where the will be brand new, the Ministry of Synagogue of El-Ghriba is the second Now what single course would offer External Affairs as well as the holiest place of worship for Jews right a student such a cornucopia of skills? departments of international relations after Jerusalem? This land of cocan team up to fund travel/ existence has absolutely no conflicts or MUN trains high school and college accommodation expenses for selected disputes with any other nation and boasts students a good deal of discipline as well. teams to compete abroad in order to gain a decent experience when it comes to Subject to strict and multiple procedural sharper skills and to train more people in organizing regional/International events. rules, the process is confusing at the start their turn. Over 90,000 students take Tunisia was home to the Arab league for and participants are challenged to defend part in Model United Nations over a decade and hosted the World the interests of their nations in an Conferences in the USA and more than Summit for Information Society in 2005 atmosphere of respect while abiding by a 400 MUN conferences are scheduled under the auspices of the UN. set of well known procedures and worldwide all year long. Tunisian diplomats, already form a motions. This practice of democracy pool of fine diplomats to tap into for the through the Double R (Rules & Rhetoric) As the UN SG is a rotating position ultimate UN post. They have been will train hordes of young people on between continents, Africa has to wait for proving themselves in very conundrumworking in an environment of logic (or a few more decades after having been like conflict negotiations in places like lack thereof), will enable them to grasp represented by both Boutros Boutros Cambodia, Haiti and Sudan. the necessity of mutual respect even Ghali and Kofi Anan. Plenty of time to when the hierarchy of values is different harness this Model United Nations tool In the footsteps of Mongi Slim, and will pave the way towards a truly and train a generation or two of young Kamel Marjane and Hédi Annabi, no “politics-literate” society. Not only can aspiring and talented Tunisians out of person should be non grata and for this those interested in pursuing a career in which someone with the required traits, purpose Model United Nations seem to diplomacy find a large set of skills to experience, a bit of luck and a lot of be the right starting point…so that there acquire but also those aspiring to be support from here and there can will always be a UN in T-UN-ISIA! leaders in all walks of life from hopefully emerge and “shake” that house

Standing Out

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Expat Voices

The grass is always greener. By Melanie Benna, UK/Tunisia

Hello my name is Melanie and I am a British lady married to a Tunisian.  I lived in Tunisia, on my own, with 5 of my 6 children, for 2 years, between 2005 - 2007, whilst my husband remained in the UK, trying to sell our house.  Having initially been very enthusiastic about contributing an article to Bird Nest, I had found that until yesterday, my mind had gone totally blank about what I wished to say!  This is unusual for me because for the past 3 years I have been creating pieces for my website about expat life in Tunisia, which I began whilst living there, in the hope that there may be some fellow British expats who would contact me, as surely I couldn't be the only British person out there....could I?!  Discovering that a Tunisian citizen had written into the guestbook on my website, urging us Brits not to be so stupid as to move to such a poor, third world and backward country such as Tunisia, unsurprisingly, gave me the 'food for thought' that I had been looking for!   For years, I had watched avidly the programmes on the television about buying a place in the sun, how children who had previously not even heard of the country that their parents had moved them to, suddenly became fluent in a foreign language in the space of a couple of months, communicating easily with their peers, as well as nearly all of the expats declaring quite emphatically that "Britain was a place that they would never move back to...ever!"  Would life be as easy for me?  How would I cope with helping my children with their Arabic homework?  How and where would I pay my bills and could I even read what it said on them?  Could I really stand in a corner shop and ask the shopkeeper for things that I needed, speaking no Tunisian and only a few words of schoolgirl French?   To cut a long story short...I did it!  And I am proud to say, I did it well!  Why?  Because Tunisia is not the poor, third world and backward country, described by one of its citizens, believing that the 'grass is greener on the other side!'  Sure, I missed my family back home in the UK, my marmite, my porridge every morning, Red Leicester cheese, shopping in Tesco's, British fashions, understanding and being involved in my children's school life and a host of other things which I had always taken for granted!  But I coped, because Tunisia, is a peaceful, friendly, hospitable and extremely well-educated

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country, which is going places and getting there fast!  There was not even one place, amongst even the tiniest towns, where there would not be at least one person, who would pop up out of the woodwork and communicate to me in English, when my French or Tunisian words failed me!   Could a Tunisian travelling to Europe expect to find somebody speaking their language at the drop of a hat?   My children attended a Tunisian school.  I read and paid my bills where and when I needed to, doing this many times, on the fast and trouble-free broadband internet access.  I shopped in both the corner shops and the large supermarkets and travelled the length and breadth of the country on the cheap and reliable trains and louages, writing articles for my website and locating properties for sale and to rent on the second website that I created.  Britain is wonderful;  I appreciate it much more now, but it is not the land of milk and honey, nor are its streets 'paved with gold!'  Most importantly, Tunisia has a much better 'quality of life,' and that is not just because it receives 300 days more sun each year!   The Tunisian citizen received quite a few astonished replies!  One of the best stated that, the social fabric of the West is on the verge of collapse, having major problems with crime, mainly due to alcohol and drug abuse, but also organised crime, identity theft and fraud at the highest level.  Many people seem to base their points on wage levels, but what about the quality of life?  What is the point of earning big wages if you're scared to go out of your house after dark?   You could sit inside your house and admire your material wealth, making sure that your kids have the latest mobile phones, but then despair that there are security guards at every school gate, just in case there are nasty people about!     Count on your fingers, the number of Tunisians who stay in Europe after working for a few years!  Only when they come to the conclusion that the grass is 'not greener' on the other side, do they begin to plan in earnest, their return to the 'real land of milk and honey!' http://www.nomarmiteintunisia.co.uk   http://www.thetunisianhouse.co.uk

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BIRDNESTBIMONTHLYMay 20, 2008

Academia

Pioneers… and missed opportunities

more generally, is an alumni society to support those expatriate members who called the PS3A (i.e. the Pioneer School wish to start a venture in Tunisia. of Ariana Alumni Association). Despite its noteworthy efforts to organise social If you are a NEST member and/or

By Tarek Cheniti (UK)

You might know this already but until the late 1980’s there used to be a high school in Tunisia which offered education in English: “The English Pioneer School of Ariana”. The superb scheme went on for several years until it was put off in 1989 for a reason which I personally ignore to date. I started my secondary education in that school in an atmosphere of restructuring and utter confusion, just a year after English was suppressed. In my early years, end-of-term transcripts were still drafted in English- a language which was also used to label offices, classrooms, laboratories and library shelves. But teachers were asked to address us exclusively in French, a language they often struggled with having been trained on and networking events in Tunisia, the thinking about their subjects and PS3A has not been able to fulfil what I teaching them in Shakespeare’s tongue. consider to be the most fundamental objectives of an alumni society: to Former pupils of the school are now support the school as a place of to be found in leading positions across excellence and achievement; to raise the English-speaking world. Among them funds in order to improve the facilities on there are prominent businessmen, offer at the school; to lobby for an engineers, social scientists, academics, English-based tuition in Tunisian schools; and artists. The only tie they still have to implement mentoring schemes with the school, and with the country between present and former pupils; and

were educated in Ariana, PS3A needs you! It is a society that must exist and thrive, because it is only through the voluntary cooperation of its members and their friends that your talent can be put at the service of the country. Let us hear from you and know how you can help by visiting http:// www.ps3a.org/

Photo Quiz Thanks to all those who took part in our first photo quiz. An overwhelming majority thought the picture was that of Tunisian poet Abul-Qacem Shebby. The correct answer is: “Ahmed Bey II”, who ruled Tunisia from 1929 until his death in 1942. Sorry, there are no winners this time!

And now an easier quiz! Can you guess who the man paying a courtesy visit to President Bourguiba is, when and where the picture was taken?

The ‘Ahmeds’ of Tunisia were skilled diplomats. Soon after Ahmed I took power (1837) he wrote a lengthy letter to Queen Victoria in which he expressed his profound admiration of her rule and desire to learn from the British way of organising domestic politics. Ahmed II exercised similar tactfulness and address at home. Even though he did not speak a word of French, his reign was characterised by a strategy of rapprochement with the protectorate which was designed to avoid upfront confrontation (whether this was a correct or a bad approach must of course be left to our individual judgement). Moncef Bey who took over him was less of an appeaser and distinguished himself with the outspoken commitment to end French interference in Tunisian affairs. Moncef ’s efforts accelerated our independence.

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Expat Voices

Living in Palunis! By Lina Tiblisi Shiblak, UAE

Before any of you start googling Palunis, save it, it doesn't exist! It did for me however, for 10 years in fact. Palunis was the heaven I grew up in for the most beautiful 10 years of my life! To put you out of your misery, Palunis was Palestine in Tunis from 1982 following the Israeli invasion of Beirut when 7000 Palestinians along with the (PLO), the Palestinian Liberation Organisation fled to the seaside city of Tunis, and until 1993 after the Oslo agreement when Tunisia witnessed the departure of most of its Palestinian residents back to what then became the state of Palestine comprising of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip with Ramallah as its capital.

It is rather bizarre to think of someone living in a new country yet never interacting with the local population, yet unfortunately that’s what most Palestinians did, and even more unfortunately that some of those who did interact, did it badly and decided to kick a few jaws and elbows rather than balls in fights over football pitches or the like. I’m still not entirely sure why, but looking back in history Palestinians have unfortunately alienated themselves more often than they should have done This however is not intended to be a history lesson of which is why memories of Jordan and Lebanon are not entirely Palestinian politics, but merely a small journey into the life of a pleasant ones, not that I intent to blame this entirely on Palestinian child who grew up believing that although Palestine Palestinians but it is best to admit this than go on blaming “the was homeland, Tunisia was home. And as I'm sure you know, others”. your childhood home always etches a very deep and special place in your heart, that no matter how far away you go and In Tunis however, the reaction was entirely different. how many years you disappear from it, inside your heart, it will Instead of growing to hate those newcomers, Tunisians always home. embraced them with open arms. I still remember the many

That special home for me will always be Tunis where my first memories came to life. Not vital episodes from my life mind you, as my memories seem to revolve around those little incidents that most just skip over and forget. Memories like how my first impression of Tunisia quickly changed from being scared and very unhappy with the new alien environment, to how I quickly grew to love my new home aided by the various incidents where I came across such amazing warmth and kindness from Tunisians whom to me still spoke a foreign language for at least the first year!

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beers, and us kids were kicking a few balls and riding bikes. In fact, I still remember going out with my father to have some wooden sofas made, and ended up enjoying our first couscous experience at his house that same night. More than twenty years later both our families are still best of friends!

conversations that were sparked merely by my accent where the taxi driver or the shop keeper would say with a big smile “Palestinian?”, and from that I would end up listening to how much Tunisians loved us and how they supported our cause to such an extent where the person himself or close relative had actually personally been involved in the Palestinian struggle.

Fifteen years on, and nearly 3000 miles away, I still find myself yearning for those good old days of walks up to the coffee shop high up on the most beautiful white and blue town of Sidi bou Saeed, or watching an amazing show at the annual Carthage festival, or even just for a simple pleasure of being In that respect, my family was luckier than most home. Yet I still have one unanswered question; how did Palestinian families who never really interacted with Tunisians Tunisians ever put up with thousands of us fiery hot headed in all their year in Tunis. Instead of shying away and living our Palestinians? Well whatever the answer is, I guess now its time Palestinian life, my parents decided to knock on our to say thank you for the beautiful home of Palunis! neighbours’ homes with some Palestinian delicacies, and soon enough recipes were being exchanged, the dad’s enjoyed a few

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BIRDNESTBIMONTHLY May 20, 2008

1)Tunisia mountian oasis (enhanced) http://www.flickr.com/photos/andrejstojs/1492321929/

2) Untitled









http://www.flickr.com/photos/a_dell/2383066760/

The Green Bit

CDM: The way forward By Amin Zayani, Egypt

Whether we live in Tunisia or abroad, I am sure that we all feel that the weather is dramatically changing. Planet Earth is getting warmer and that is a scientifically proven fact. One of the major reasons for this are the Green House Gases (GHG) like methane and CO2 emitted by human activities (mainly industrial ones). Fortunately, there are some efforts to cut these emissions down, and a protocol was signed in Kyoto in 1997 by almost all the member countries members of the UN (except the USA) to stabilize GHG emissions. As you can expect, there are lots of boring details about this protocol, I will spare you the pain of analyzing each one of them, but will tell you about the most interesting part:

to poorer ones, along with preserving the environment and improving the living conditions of people who love near polluting plants and factories. All very well! Tunisia hosts two CDM projects (mainly capturing methane from landfills and turning it into natural gas), but the potential is really bigger: Tunisia is ranked fourth in Africa in the CDM investment climate index, it is economically stable, has good relations with most of the countries in the worldespecially in the West-, has a large desert (with enormous solar potential), not to mention the Algerian gas pipeline (with potential fuel switching to natural gas) and a well-developed gas distribution network.

Making a greater effort to promote Clean Development Mechanisms in Tunisia can only bring us benefits: reducing From now on, there is a ceiling for GHG emissions for the pollution, creating jobs, appealing wealth and foreign currency, developed countries who ratified the protocol. If they and promoting renewable energies (which will help us achieve demonstrate a need to exceed this ceiling, they have to buy self-sufficiency in energy). carbon emissions allowances, also called Certified Emission Reductions from developing countries. Developing countries I am pretty much optimistic about the future of CDM in have one certificate issued for each ton of CO2 (or equivalent Tunisia, and I would urge our government to promote western for the other GHGs) they cut off. investment in this field, rather than purchase nuclear power plants… This created a new market for trading CERs, with considerable influx of money streaming from the rich countries

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TUNISIAN ANGLOPHONE SOCIETIES ELSEWHERE

The IBN KHALDUN Foundation was founded in early 2008 by Tunisians and Japanese living in Japan who have a good understanding of both countries’ culture. It is a non-profit, non-political, non-religious organization committed to strengthening and promoting cooperation and fellowship between Tunisia and Japan.

The objectives of the Ibn Khaldun Foundation are: To strengthen friendship ties, bilateral cooperation (scientific, economic, cultural) and fruitful partnership between Tunisia and Japan; To provide assistance and support to Tunisians in Japan, and build up their mutual solidarity; To provide assistance and support to Japanese interested in cultural, academic and economic exchanges with Tunisia To promote the Tunisian identity and values of peace, tolerance and hospitality to the Japanese society; The originality of the Ibn Khaldun Foundation hosts three main departments: (1) Science and Technology, (2) Business and Investment Department and (3) Society and Culture. Contact us: Aymen Charef ([email protected])

The main objective of the BTS is to foster good relationships between UK and Tunisia through cultural and business activities. It aims to acts as a hub; to foster in a very informal way; The BTS is currently focusing on three strategic themes. 1- Building relationship with the Tunisians Professionals in London and British Professionals 2- Educational Cooperation between Tunisia and the UK 3- Improvement of Business Trade between Tunisia and the UK Contact us: Noomane Fehri ([email protected])

The London MagNet Society (LMS) is a private society that aims to promote the Maghreb, its cultural heritage and its image in the UK whilst facilitating professional networking amongst its Members.   London MagNet Society or LMS stands for London Maghreb Network Society. It acts as a professional platform for enhancing and promoting Maghreb’s culture, image and heritage while serving as a vehicle for charitable work linked to good causes chosen by its Membership.  Participation in LMS Projects is open to non-members who have a genuine interest in promoting the Maghreb. We welcome partnerships with Charitable Organisations in particular, which are actively involved in the Maghreb region. Contact us: Aous Labbane, [email protected] http://www.londonmagnetsociety.co.uk/

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