One Year After the Tunisian Revolution

January 14th 2012, one year after the Tunisian revolution

In a country where small talk used to reign, there is now hardly any mention of the weather. Where people used to look over their shoulder before they uttered a word, there are now myriad channels of expression. In Tunisia, where over twenty-three years of dictatorship came to an end one year ago, there has been a major shift in the way its citizens think, speak, act and react.

Perhaps the most significant change Tunisia has witnessed is the deep involvement of its people in society, the government and the media. Citizens are finally holding leaders accountable for their actions. They are asking questions, engaging in open discussions and demanding that information providers keep nothing hidden.

Tunisians suddenly have a plethora of news sources to consult, available on the Internet, in print and in broadcast. People are using media differently, having to choose different sources on which to base their opinions and use as references. Journalists are dealing with a drastic transformation in their field and are learning to fight completely new battles. Numerous civil society organizations (CSOs) and a range of associations have surfaced, each attempting to serve the country in its own way. Some want to ensure that groups previously marginalized are finally heard, some want to serve as entities to oversee the current governing body and others want to create spaces for open dialogue amongst citizens, political figures and civil society actors.

It is widely recognized within the country that an economy, which favored a small portion of the population, lay at the core of the Tunisian revolution. By a certain percentage of the Tunisian people, said corruption is believed to have caused an alarmingly high unemployment rate and an increasing cost of living. Today, organizations from near and far are mobilizing to create jobs, encourage foreign investment, promote transparency and create a viable economic base upon which the country can build.

Undeniably,  landscapes have shifted and countless voices have emerged. This transformation may be the most valuable outcome of the Tunisian revolution, but it is also the most challenging. Consequently, a plethora of questions emerge:

• How do we keep existing investors in the country and attract new ones?
• How do we create enough jobs for a population consisting mostly of young people?
• How do we spur economic growth while making sure it translates into sustainable development?
• How do we educate our youngest generations to be responsible citizens and prepare them for employment?
• How do we teach our population about social entrepreneurship, the importance of participating in civil society and engaging in open discussions with their peers?
• How do we most effectively communicate our concerns to the political figures representing us?

It is the role of all citizens to address these questions, but it is the country’s youth who will likely begin to do so most effectively. In a recent interview, Head of the Global Shapers Community at the World Economic Forum, David Aikman, stated that members  of  today’s youth are extremely important stakeholders in each of their societies who represent infinite potential. We are these members he is describing. It is up to us, the Global Shapers of Tunis, as well as the youth we will engage through our projects, to address the aforementioned questions, and to continue asking more.

It is easy to imagine, to be gratuitously idealist and hope for a country to adapt democratic practices, intelligently take advantage of its resources and drastically improve its economy. It is easy to wish for the implementation of an education system that will guarantee employment upon completion, for the existence of media that will raise awareness of citizens, speak the truth and be led by those who are qualified and not those who are appointed. Wishing is easy. But we as Global Shapers believe in the possibility of all of these things, and are putting our distinct and varied talents together to achieve them. We must serve as the catalyst for change by sharing our knowledge with others. We will act as dynamic idealists who intelligently debate with all stakeholders: with business men and women about how their corporate objectives must contribute to the sustainable development of our country, with politicians to engage their citizens and keep their promises and with civil society to encourage them to collaborate in a way that unleashes the creativity and unique talents of every Tunisian who wants to make a difference.

Ideas about what our country has become in the past year may depend on whom you ask. You might ask the highly educated citizen who has been unemployed for over 7 years, the citizen who wants to ensure that members of the old regime are adequately penalized, the parents who worry there are not enough police officers to protect their children, the active bloggers who spend their days trying to make sense of the government’s every move, the martyrs’ families who have not been compensated, or the government officials who have been elected to lead the country. Each of these citizens’ answers might differ, but they are all Tunisians; we are all Tunisians, and we strongly believe that a hope and will to see our country improve and a determination to handle challenges responsibly will not only create a positive future for upcoming generations, but also make of us an example other countries should follow.