Couscous Global is a worldwide community website for young people from all over the world. It offers a platform where you can discuss and exchange your most personal issues, experiences and ideas.
We wanted to collect the stories of our globalized next generation, through young filmmakers, students and anyone else who feels connected to the mission of Couscous Global.
The project started at 08/08/08 and ended at 09/09/09 and had a million viewers in 120 countries. 17 countries produced 263 mini movies in a year. Nevejan directed all the movies from Holland, Iran, China and the USA.
Offical selection of the IDFA 2009.
We are now researching how to finance the future of this highly succesful project.
Read an interview with Maartje Nevejan about couscousblobal.com in the Dutch newspaper ‘Het parool’. (pfd file)
FACTS
couscousglobal.com
Community website
a million viewers in 120 countries
17 countries produced 263 mini movies
Offical selection of the IDFA 2009
Couscous Global is a worldwide website community where young people from all over the world between the ages of 16 and 24 share their most personal issues, experiences and ideas through filmed debates.
Everybody can join in. Just sit in front of your webcam or ask a friend to film you and your friends during a debate. Upload your film to Youtube and put it on our website, join the debate in our forum, and make your own profile.
Couscous Global is a follow up to the Dutch award winning tv-serie Couscous & Cola which recorded dynamic discussions between a group of kids in Amsterdam from diverse cultural backgrounds with their peers in Africa and America. After it was broadcasted by Al Jazeera in 2007, we received emails from viewers world wide who recognized themselves in the debate and wanted to “chip in”.
This global attention inspired the start of the community website Couscous Global.
Who are we?
Maartje Nevejan: founder and director of Couscous Global and developer of the App ‘LYPO’ Love your perfect Opposite.
She founded Couscousglobal as an idependent platform. It has been on line since 8-8-2008 till 9-9-2009
Nevejan to the “You are the first generation connecting worldwide. Let’s use this technology to meet not only as friends, but also as beloved enemies. You learn the most about yourselve and the world fom people who do not agree with you”.
Nevejan: director website i.c.w. Mediamatic
Sanne Nols Trinite: App developer i.c.w. Driebit
Web managers: Erik Punt en Tarik El Fehmi.
Couscous and Cola shows us a group of immigrant teenagers in a debating club in Amsterdam. In their debates, they try their best to survive between two worlds and simply have fun. These kids both hate and adore the United States. That was the challenging reason to travel with them to America. While preparing their journey we witness their struggle with passports, parents and older brothers, and follow their ongoing passionate debate. In the end, although you might disagree with their point of views, you may begin to empathise with them.
In the second series, three years later, they all return back to Africa. Often for the first time since they immigrated. While preparing for this journey we witness the harsh immigration policy of the Dutch, the myth of motherly love of Africa, the importance of money, the power of family and the big identity question “ Who am I?” in terms of colour, religion and continent. The kids are a mix of European, African, Arab and American (youth) culture.
Couscous Global is the website inspired by reactions of kids worldwide on the series. Lots of young filmmakers participate from all over the world by posting little films of local debates on our website. We are now also including Asia: We will
be present at the olympics in Beiing later this month and will travel to Indonesia and India later this year. www.couscousglobal.com