Born in Newcastle, North East England, Paul studied history,
languages and EU international relations at the University of
Manchester and the Institute of Politics ('Sciences-Po') in
France. Following his graduation, Paul secured the support of the
British Foreign Office and UNESCO for the Millennium Project YOUTH
2000; the project, which created across 5 continents a network of
youth associations working in some of the world's most marginalised
communities, was commended by the British Prime Minister for its
impact on global citizenship learning.
In April 2001, Paul co-founded and was appointed Executive
Director of GLOBAL VOICE UK, an international non-governmental
organisation dedicated to promoting young people's active
participation at the local and international level. Under his
leadership, Global Voice pioneered a series of award-winning
projects in the fields of education, culture, media and conflict
resolution, principally with the support of the European Union.
During this period, he also worked with the UK Department of
Education to support the introduction of the new national
citizenship curriculum.
Following an international competition, Paul was appointed in
2006 to the newly created 'Anna Lindh Euro-Mediterranean Foundation
for Dialogue between Cultures', the first common institution of the
Euro-Med Partnership (the far-reaching framework comprising EU and
Arab 'Mediterranean' countries). As a founding staff member, he
played a central role in transforming the Foundation from an
intergovernmental initiative to an established institution
supporting civil society in more than 50 countries. Working with
the Foundation, he has also led multi-country projects with leading
institutions, including the EU, Arab League and UN agencies.
As an analyst of international affairs, Paul has specialised in
Euro-Arab relations and Middle East society, appearing on media
including the BBC, Al Arabiya and Al Jazeera. He also lectures each
year at the Mediterranean Academy of Diplomacy in Malta, and has
edited a number of publications on intercultural, social and
educational affairs. In 2011, he was elected the Chair of the Board
of Governors and Directors of the British International School of
Alexandria, overseeing the organisation's restructuring and
strategic reorientation.
