ABOUT

Brave New Futures: MENA Strategic Imagination Labs is a 24-month experiment in bold thinking, radical creativity, and collective transformation.

Rather than a traditional capacity-building program, it is a shared process of co-learning, co-envisioning, and co-creation – shaped by the collective brilliance of the group.

Over two years, we’ll explore how imagination, art, hope, and creative play can unlock new approaches to civic work and systems change.

From a pool of over 100 outstanding applicants, we’ve brought together a cohort of 15 visionary civic organizations from across the MENA region.

In challenging times, imagination can feel indulgent. It’s not. To build the tomorrow we want, we must first imagine it today. And while individual dreams can shape lives, it is the collective dreams that shape reality.

Imagination, therefore, is not a luxury – it’s a form of survival, a source of resilience, a deliberate strategy.

 
 
 
 

WHAT THE LABs OFFER

Participants will join a multi-phase program designed to strengthen imaginative capacity and spark new futures for civic space in the region, featuring:

  • A dynamic mix of online and in-person gatherings across MENA – offering respite and insight through peer learning, shared discovery, and co-creation.

  • Prototyping creative solutions as a foundation for future strategies.

  • Pilot “future/s-building” grants to experiment with creative actions or activations in local contexts.

  • Creative collaborations with trailblazing artists and distinguished thinkers from the region and beyond.

  • Ongoing coaching, reflection, and peer support.

  • A co-created, open-licensed toolkit on applied imagination.

  • A global platform for their work and ideas.

Stay tuned for news and updates from the MENA Strategic Imagination Labs!