Our Team

OUAFA BELGACEM CEO and CO-FOUNDER

Ouafa is an expert in cultural projects fundraising and project management and a researcher interested in topics related with arts and culture funding and cultural policies in the Arab Region.

Ouafa Belgacem is a holds Masters degrees in History, Archaeology, Business Administration and Heritage Management ,she has been building capacities towards funding and financing development projects in various assignments with intergovernmental organisations as well as INGOs.  She has work experience in the Middle East, Africa and Asia. Prior to founding Culture Funding Watch she worked with as Oxfam GB as Programme Funding Coordinator in Myanmar and as Regional Programme Funding Coordinator for West Africa. Previously she worked with SNV in Laos as Senior Business Development Advisor and as Assistant to the Head of Finance and Contract Section for the European Commission Delegation in Cairo. Ouafa was also assigned as head of fundraising unit within the Supreme Council of Antiquities of Egypt. Earlier, she served as consultant and trainer on cultural heritage sites management.

Ouafa is one of the six international experts to assist in the evaluation of proposals submitted for funding to the UNESCO’s International Fund for Cultural Diversity.

VALERIA MENEGHELLI  CO-FOUNDER

Valeria Meneghelli holds a Master’s degree in Global Creative and Cultural Industries from London and a Master’s degree in Oriental Studies from Rome. She is interested in project management as well as research.

Passionate about artistic and cultural phenomena in the Mediterranean region, and in particular Tunisia, she focuses her research activities on various aspects of the cultural sector, encompassing anthropological issues, heritage and politics. Prior to joining Culture Funding Watch, she designed and collaborated on a variety of projects related to cultural diversity, heritage preservation and sustainable development.

VALERIA MENEGHELLI – RESOURCES MOBILISATION COORDINATOR

Valeria Meneghelli holds a Master’s degree in Global Creative and Cultural Industries from London and a second Master’s in Oriental studies from Rome. She divides her time between project making and research.

Passionate about arts and cultural phenomena in the Mediterranean region, she focuses her research activities on various aspects of the cultural sector, particularly in Tunisia, encompassing anthropological issues, heritage and politics. Before joining Culture Funding Watch she designed and collaborated in various projects related to the fields of cultural diversity, heritage safeguarding and sustainable development.

HATEM BOUKESRA

Hatem Boukesra, is a graduate from the Higher School of Science and Technology of  Design in Tunis, he has extensive experience as Journalist and a radio host in Tunisia. Hatem worked with major media in Tunisia including “Mowatinoun”, “Achaab”, “Sawt Echaab” newspapers as well as Kalima radio.

Hatem collaborated a communication manager and a press officer with organisations such The League for Human Rights (LTDH), the Tunisian Association of Democratic Women (ATFD), the Multi-Actors Concerned Program (PCPA-Soyons Actifs/Actives), the “Human screen international festival”, “creators for life in ben arous” and the international festival of amateur films of Kélibia “FIFAK” (2015-2016).

Hatem is also an actor and stage-director’s assistant, he participated in various amateur and professional plays directed by famous names in the cultural scene in Tunisia such as  ZAGHBANI Ghazi, GANNOUN Ezzeddine, JEBALI Taoufik, HAMMOUDA Salah.

Hatem is member of Arterial Network, U40 Arabesque,member of Robert Bosch Cultural managers network RBCM Network and the Tunisian Independent Working Group on Cultural Policies.

JIHEN GHARBI ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER

Jihen is a young entrepreneuse passionate about event organisation and hand craft promotion, she is the co-owner of small hand craft business. Jihen joined Culture Funding Watch as Administrative officer trainee.