Who?

The Arab Digital Expression Foundation (ADEF): is a Cairo-based non-profit organization that works on promoting the use of ICTs by Arab Youth for digital expression and artistic creation: a network of artists and experts supporting and mentoring young talents in the Arab region.
The foundation aims at giving the young Arab generation a free and constructive environment and the opportunity to produce ideas of their own using ICTs in an attempt to improve and add to the content of this world of media. It aims to give youth from various Arab countries digital tools to express themselves and discover their identity in both culture and heritage.

How?

The Arab Digital Expression Foundation believes the most effective model to achieve its goals for youth aged 12 to 15 is through a residential summer camp. The impact of summer camps on youth has been recorded and noted for years by educational experts and parents. Residential fun-based summer camps allow for the creation of an environment conductive to free expression. Coupled with a carefully developed program - a series of workshops children join daily - and highly trained, involved and enthusiastic trainers and staffs, the results are astounding. Youngsters and trainers share experiences and bond through both the physical and digital spaces they create. ADEF provides the structure and then leaves the participants to explore and experiment in filmmaking, animation, digital sound and music, graphic design and web 2.0. They also share fun and creative sports and art workshops. Because of the diversity and intensity of the program and participants, the two-week time frame is often life-changing, for both youngsters and trainers.

ADEF also organizes digital expression workshops where Arab youth aged 20 - 30 explore digital techniques and open source concepts and software in film-making, sound and music, animation and web 2.0 as well as training skills that enhance their own work. Young artists and techies meet and produce collaborative works of art and learn to upload and share over the internet.