Selam Ethiopia, 2017-2023, Culture leads the way Selam Ethiopia, 2017-2023, Culture leads the way - Selam Cultural Enablers, 2017-2024, Culture leads the way The proposed project is in line Sida development cooperation strargy for Ethiopia (2016-2020) and will be implemented in Addis Ababa City Administration and four Regional state cities(Tigray, Amhara, Oromia and SNNPR). The project will benefit a total of 500 young women and men between age of 18-35. The purpose of the project is to promote democracy and gender equality with a  greater respect for human rights through engagement of the right holders to promote openness, accountability and greater respect for human rights. 
The project period will be from September 2017-December 2020. Det föreslagna initiativet kommer att skapa en livskraftig miljö för olika intressenter och kulturaktörer att bli förespråkare i demokratiska processer. Projektet kommer att samordnas med nationella och lokala kulturinstitutioner, universitet, medieinstitutioner, kulturella intresseorganisationer och kultur- och mediaspelare. Unga kvinnor och män (cirka 18-35 år) med intresse för att delta i projektet är projektets rätta innehavare. Projektet kommer att äga rum i Addis Abebas stadsförvaltning och stadsinstitutioner i regionerna Oromia, Amhara, SNNPR och Tigray i tre år, 2017-2020 The overall programme objective remains:
“Deepened and strengthened participation and freedom of expression of rights holders in development processes through culture expressions”.
The programme extension covers a period of two years and continues to focus on activities with the same cultural forms i.e. music, media, technical development & digitalisation, documentary film and circus. The extended period will also introduce projects focusing on literature and theatre. SELAM will continue to coordinate activities with culture-interest organisations and local and national culture institution, though as reported, it was a challenge to engage local and regional partners. The extended period will have less focus on their own organisational development.
There are four clear sub-objectives to be attained through this extension:
1. The role of culture as enabler of democratic dialogue in development processes is strengthened.
2. Young women and men (the rights-holders) contribute to a democratic and interactive dialogue on development issues through culture and media initiatives.
3. Increased awareness of targeted general public in the targeted regions of the role of culture and media for social mobilisation and democratic dialogue.
4. Young women and men earn an income from culture and media employment and/or self-employment at the end of the project period.
 
In terms of SELAM's Theory of Change, it can be summarised as follows:
Outcome 1: The role of culture as an enabler of democratic dialogue in development processes is strengthened strengthening the capacity of culture civil society organizations, networks, and platforms as culture advocates
The theory of change is that the project provides supports that build the capacity of the partner organization and other key culture and media actors to strengthen their advocacy work, alliance building, and networking, and to enhance their capacity to facilitate participatory media and culture initiatives with a focus on democracy and human rights.
Outcome 2: Young women and men rights’ holders contribute to a democratic and interactive dialogue on development issues through culture and media initiatives.
The theory of change is that the partners and target groups, through direct participation in the project, gain increased awareness and find their own innovative ways to promote freedom of expression; thereby, the project is expected to result in a series of culture and media productions that promote popular involvement in democratic development, the respect for human rights, and show how cultural expressions and different forms of media can contribute to the interactive and participatory public dialogue on social issues.
 Outcome 3: Increased awareness of the general public in five cities of the role of culture and media for social mobilization and democratic dialogue.
The theory of change is that capacity built among the institutions and the targeted project participants - and the actions of the groups, including the different culture productions - are expected to increase the awareness of other targeted rights holders about the rights highlighted in the different projects, and the interest among a broader population to take part in discussions on social and democratic development. It is because of this that the evaluation team has tried to assess the perception of the public on culture as a means to discuss social matters.