About DEDI

Since 2004, The Danish-Egyptian Dialogue Initiative has been bringing together Danes and Egyptians, enhancing their knowledge of each other’s culture and society and their mutual understanding. DEDI aims to support and facilitate green transition through dialogue and partnerships.

Partnerships and projects are facilitated and carried out in the field of sustainability. DEDI’s projects benefit young Egyptian and Danish students, researchers, and professionals committed to develop and support solutions to the local and global challenges facing their communities.

Through workshops, field visits and events, participants are given the opportunity to network, exchange experiences and knowledge, gain a deeper understanding of the different contexts they operate in and get inspired by cutting-edge technologies, unique approaches and peer-to-peer learning.

DEDI’s history

The Danish-Egyptian Dialogue Initiative (DEDI) was established in Cairo in 2004. The overall aim is to foster knowledge and mutual understanding of society and culture among Egyptians and Danish people. Our approach is dialogue and partnerships. By doing so, DEDI contributes to the strengthening of the Danish-Egyptian relations and increased cooperation between the two countries.

Activities have been carried out in the field of culture, media and civic participation with a special focus on youth and women. Throughout the years, DEDI has been engaging a continuously expanding number of partners from both the public and private sector as well as civil society.

The chairmanship of DEDI rotates every second year between two representatives of the Egyptian and the Danish Ministries of Foreign Affairs. The organization of DEDI is set up within the framework of the Agreement of Cultural, Educational and Scientific Cooperation between the Arab Republic of Egypt and the Kingdom of Denmark, signed in 1972.

Since its inauguration, DEDI has been an important actor enhancing dialogue, understanding and relations between Denmark and Egypt. Being located in Cairo and attracting highly qualified staff, DEDI has become a center point for Danes and Egyptians wanting to create new projects and initiate ways of collaboration.

DEDI’s continuous emphasis on its core mandate and values of partnerships and dialogue, has secured its position, trustworthiness and standing among governmental and private partner organizations in Egypt and the Arab World.

Originally, DEDI was established as the Danish Egyptian Dialogue Institute in 2004, its core task being to promote social and cultural understanding between Denmark and Egypt and Europe and the Arab World, with dialogue as the main tool. The present statutes, mandate and name was agreed upon by the Danish and the Egyptian Governments in 2019.

DEDI is funded by the Danish Arab Partnership Program (DAPP) of the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its present work is part of DAPP’s program for the period 2017-2021.

DEDI is bound to follow DANIDA Guidelines with due respect of the Egyptian laws.

DEDI’s Organization


CHAIR

H.E. Ambassador Anne Dorte Riggelsen, representative of the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Danish Ambassador to Egypt.

VICE-CHAIR

Awaiting appointment for the representative of the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs by the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

ADVISORS

H.E. Ambassador Nabil Riad Habashy, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs and former Ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to the Kingdom of Denmark

Mr. Christian Have, Owner of HAVE A/S

Mr. Finn Mortensen, Executive Director, State of Green

Dr. Gamal Abdel Gawad Soltan, researcher at Al-Ahram Centre for Political and Strategic Studies (ACPSS).

The Chair and Vice-Chair decide on the Initiative’s annual work plan and activities. The advisors monitor the Initiative’s activities, approve its annual work plan, its strategy and budget and submit to the Chairman and the Vice-Chairman for final adoption.

The chairmanship rotates every second year between the two representatives of the Egyptian and the Danish Ministries of Foreign Affairs.

The Advisors are appointed by the Danish and the Egyptian Foreign Ministries. They have a reputable background and intellectual standing, and are known for their interest in promoting dialogue and cooperation between Denmark and Egypt.

Projects 2023

In 2023, DEDI is carrying out projects focusing on sustainable fashion, sustainable furniture design and raising awareness on sustainability and climate change. 

The project DEDI Green Gate 2023 will bring together 24 Danish and Egyptian designers, students, entrepreneurs and researchers working to develop and promote sustainable fashion. With a focus on solutions, the participants will explore the sustainable fashion scenes in Denmark and Egypt respectively, new ideas and technologies, learn from one another and be inspired. The program involves several local meetings and two week long, international workshops. 

The project Designing for Circularity is carried out in collaboration with the Royal Danish Academy and Pinocchio Furniture Factory in Egypt and will bring together young Egyptian designers and students from the Royal Danish Academy. Under professional supervision they will design pieces according to the principles of circularity. The Egyptian participants will visit the Royal Danish Academy on a study trip in September, followed by an international workshop in the Mediterranean city of Damietta in November. Here, the skilled local craftsmen at the Pinocchio factory will manufacture the designs of the Egyptian and Danish designers. The results of the workshop will be shown in Cairo and later in Copenhagen in public exhibitions where the designers will get the opportunity to receive feedback from the public.

With our EcoKino project we are aiming to raise awareness about climate change, sustainability and green transition. EcoKino features documentaries and short films that we lend to local organisations, libraries, schools, and universities wishing to host screenings and discussions. Currently, EcoKino is focusing on plastic waste. The films were chosen and translated in to Arabic in collaboration with the Alexandria based social enterprise Banlastic. The documentaries are produced by the WHY Foundation. 

DEDI Club invites all participants of our projects to be members and to continue to network, exchange experiences and knowledge. We also welcome the public to the events. In 2023, the program consists of seminars, screenings and game nights. The seminars focus on sustainable design and explore circularity as well as sustainable leadership. The game nights are an opportunity of interactive learning, featuring the SDG board game and the Climate Fresk that gives ample space for discussions. 

DEDI Club is also venturing out into nine Egyptian cities and towns around Egypt to host screenings of the documentaries from our EcoKino catalogue followed by discussions. These events will be carried out in collaboration with Greenish Clubs and Ambassadors for Dialogue.  

The target group of DEDIs projects is youth (18-35 years old). We aim for an adequate representation of gender and religious backgrounds. Our projects are selected and designed as partnership projects with dialogue being at the core. 

To learn more about our projects, please explore the website. For further inquiries please write to info@dedi.org.eg or call + 2010 90152 228. 

DEDI’s Strategy 2017-2021

DEDI is funded by Danish Arab Partnership Program (DAPP) of the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its present work is part of DAPP’s program for the period 2017-2021.

The Annual Work Plans of DEDI are developed according to The Strategic Framework 2017-2022 approved by the Egyptian and Danish Ministries of Foreign Affairs.

Strategic Framework 2017-2022

Strategy 2014-2016

Coordinator

Kurt Mørck Jensen Acting Coordinator


Programs

Rana Khamis Programs Manager


Doaa Fayyad Project Officer


Youssra Fouda Project Officer


Communications

Rowan El Shimi Communications Officer


Finance & Administration

Fady Attia Head of Finance & Administration


Office Assistant

Mostafa Abdel Karim


It is possible to report to the whistle-blower mechanism via the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ website. Reports can be submitted regarding criminal offences, serious or repeated violations of the law or principles of administrative law, serious personal conflicts, sexual harassment and deliberate misinformation of citizens and partners. The whistle-blower mechanism stands alongside the other reporting channels in the MFA, particularly Danida’s anticorruption hotline (https://um.dk/en/danida-en/about-danida/danida-transparency/anti-corruption/report-corruption/ ), which pertains to irregular administration of development assistance or similar external grants. You can read more about the whistle-blower mechanism here. (https://um.dk/en/about-us/organisation/whistleblower/ )