MedTOWN supports Lingare Festival: Social Innovation Station in Tunis

Within the framework of the MedTOWN project, the TCSE - Tunisian Center for Social Entrepreneurship organizes ‘Lingare Festival’, a one-day event, that takes place in the Medina of Tunis, on Saturday, May 27th 2023, which aims to promote social innovation and social entrepreneurship, making them accessible to the public, following engaging approaches.

In this second edition of the festival, we will discover the roots of social and solidarity economy through guided tours, eat a traditional couscous made from indigenous grains and craft products with creative and cultural entrepreneurs.

How does Lingare Festival contribute to achieving the MedTOWN project goals?

Enabling access to public spaces by social and solidarity economy actors:

Lingare in Tunisian dialect means train station. In this sense, we set out this train station, in unpredictable places, such as the medina’s public and social and solidarity economy actors’ spaces, aiming to bring people together around social innovation and social entrepreneurship: In each stop visitors can hear, see, test, eat or play social innovation and social entrepreneurship.

Improving market access for MedTOWN-supported social entrepreneurs and cooperatives:

Social entrepreneurs and socially innovative cooperatives, which are the main beneficiaries of the MedTOWN and “Dignifier les conditions de travail du secteur domestique – Phase II” – projects, lack opportunities for visibility and access to markets. On the 27th of May 2023, they will get to showcase their products and services within two out of 4 stations: Cocreation and Inspiration, and Conscious Consumption. In fact, these ordinary Tunisians who do extraordinary things will be in our conscious consumption station, where visitors can make up their personal couscous recipe. Visitors also can buy solidary menus made by fresh ingredients directly sourced from Lella Kmar and Kounouz Ben Arous, two cooperatives supported by the MedTOWN and “Dignifier les conditions de travail du secteur domestique – Phase II” – projects. In the co creation and inspiration station, visitors can play, test and make the product with the social entrepreneurs. From fashion to candles, to virtual reality, visitors will get a holistic view of social innovation.

Creating a space for social and solidarity economy and co production-themed exchanges:

Lingare Festival is dedicating the Coproduction station to discuss social and solidarity economy and coproduction. The station will be designed following a panel format, where social and solidarity economy actors get to discuss social and solidarity economy, policies, services, and practices, while answering the audience’s related questions.

Context of Lingare Festival:

Lingare Festival comes within the context of the Lingare program, which is led by the TCSE - Tunisian Center for Social, aiming to create social innovation spaces that are both physical and ephemeral, such as Lingare Mahdia social innovation space and Lingare Festival.

The second edition of Lingare Festival is made possible through three main projects which come as follows: MedTOWN, TRAIT D’union, and “Dignifier les conditions de travail du secteur domestique – Phase II” –, respectively cofunded by ENI CBC MED, the Italian Ministry of Interior and Generalitat Valenciana; organized by the TCSE - Tunisian Center for Social Entrepreneurship, in partnership with Medina-based public and private actors of social and solidarity economy: Dar Ben Achour abritant la Bibliothèque de la Ville de Tunis, La Rachidia, Dar el Sanaa, Dar el Collectif, Dar El Harka.