The contribution of civil society has been recognised by the signatories of the 1995 Barcelona Declaration as fundamental in the process of development of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership and as an essential factor for greater understanding and closeness between the people. 25 years later, civil society actors are still working hard on the ground, pushing boundaries and innovating to address the major challenges faced in the Euro-Mediterranean region.
On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Barcelona Process/5th UfM Regional Forum, the Union for the Mediterranean has decided to give a special focus to people-to-people cooperation. A virtual civil society conference will be held on the 25 of November with a view to showcasing successful initiatives and projects from relevant actors that promote on a daily basis Euro-Mediterranean cooperation on the ground.
The Civil Society Segment takes places in the framework of the 5th UfM Regional Forum, bringing together the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the UfM Member States on 27 November 2020 to reaffirm their commitment to the principles of the Barcelona Process.
Main Stage
Panel Discussions
On 25 November 2020, two panels will be held, where key representatives of institutions promoting civil society across the Euro-Mediterranean region, along with prominent civil society actors, will be invited to discuss in an open and participatory way on the role of civil society in Euro-Mediterranean relations, take stock of the achievements since the launch of the Barcelona Process and explore the role it would play in the next 25 years
Sessions
Workshops
On 24 November 2020, three working sessions will be organised to explore in-depth the role of civil society actors and its perspectives in addressing the major challenges faced by the Euro-Mediterranean region, namely environmental and climate change, gender equality and social inclusion.These sessions, animated by UfM partners particularly engaged with civil society across the region, will give an additional space to the 25 selected projects to discuss action on the ground, and will draw operational conclusions to be discussed during the main event of 25 November.
Expo
Virtual Booths
Get to know and connect with 25 successful initiatives of Euro-Mediterranean cooperation promoted by civil society actors in priority areas of action were selected to showcase people-to-people dialogue. These initiatives range from projects and initiatives on climate action, environment, and water to local development, social inclusion, job creation, and women and youth empowerment.
Networking Area
Networking Opportunities
Meet speakers and attendees from all over the region who are working to build a better future for the Mediterranean
25 successful initiatives of Euro-Mediterranean cooperation promoted by civil society actors in priority areas of action were selected to showcase people-to-people dialogue. Learn more in the event platform
Discover WoMED – Women of the Mediterranean: Next Generation of Leaders, an innovative high-level training programme aimed to strengthen the capacities of high-potential young women aged between 25 and 35 years old and from the Southern Mediterranean countries, by enhancing their professional and personal skills.
Plastic Busters MPAs monitors and diagnoses the impact of plastic waste on biodiversity in marine protected areas. It also defines, tests and implements prevention and mitigation actions. These actions include fishing for litter through campaigns with the fishermen, removal and collection of derelict fishing and recreational gear and establishing recycling mechanisms.
Over the course of an initial 3-years period, Med Coasts for Blue Growth will contribute majorly to find common approaches and planning tools to boost sustainable coastal and maritime tourism in the Mediterranean. It will be mainly carried out through the analysis and promotion of the co-evolution of human activities and natural systems in coastal areas, particularly or potentially devoted to tourism.
UfM-supported project Mediterranean New Chance (MedNC) addresses the challenge of socio-professional integration of young people and, particularly, of those youngsters who are not in Education, Employment, or Training (NEETs). Coordinated by the Institut Européen de Coopération et de Développement (IECD), it is currently being implemented in Algeria, Egypt, France, Lebanon, Morocco, Portugal, Spain and Tunisia.
The Mediterranean Youth Climate Network (MYCN) serves as a platform to mobilize youth and foster sustainable solutions in the Mediterranean region. The creation of this Network comes at a crucial time for climate action as the Mediterranean area is said to be deeply affected by climate change, whichever climate scenario is considered. The Mediterranean youth are to particularly face the long-term consequences of ongoing climate transformations.
MedECC (Mediterranean Experts on Climate and Environmental change) is a network of scientists working towards a regional science-policy interface for climatic and other environmental changes across the Mediterranean. MedECC prepares an improved assessment and a comprehensive synthesis of global change knowledge in the Mediterranean region. This initiative meets a number of existing intentions by important stakeholders, as well as the proposal included in the ‘Agenda of Positive Solutions’ approved at MEDCOP21.
High Opportunity for Mediterranean Executive Recruitment (HOMERe), is a UfM labelled project that promotes internship mobility between Mediterranean countries, and is predominantly aimed at high-profile students in their last year of study before graduation. In addition, easing their transition from the academic environment to qualified entry-level roles in their own country – in a region where youth unemployment often increases with the level of education. The project is currently implemented in Algeria, Egypt, France, Greece, Italy, Lebanon, Morocco, Spain and Tunisia.
Maharat MED – Developing Youth Employability & Entrepreneurial Skills is a UfM labelled project that aims at embedding an entrepreneurial spirit amongst youth, transforming job seekers into job creators who are able to increase employment opportunities, building capacities and enhancing youth employability skills. The project is currently implemented in Jordan, Egypt, Morocco and Palestine.
More information on Maharat MED
SOLiD-South Mediterranean Social Dialogue is a regional network project that brings together regional and international representatives of social partners as well as a number of relevant partners from the EU. The ultimate goal of SOLiD is to develop the capacity of Trade Unions and their homologues of Employers’ Associations in Tunisia, Jordan and Morocco, in order to promote a dynamic, inclusive and reinforced institutionalized social dialogue and consultations with the broader civil society.
Med-EcoSuRe – Mediterranean University as Catalyst for Eco-Sustainable Renovation is a ENI CNC MED project that offers an innovative approach to the definition and diffusion of cost-effective energy renovation within university buildings, with the perspective of extending results to the whole public buildings sector in the long term. The project is currently implemented in Morocco, Tunisia and Jordan.
BlueGreen Med-CS is a UfM labelled project with the overall goal to strengthen existing and promote new cooperation and financial opportunities among Euro-Mediterranean Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) dedicated to water and environment, thereby maximizing their contribution to sustainable development in the region. The project has been applied in Albania, Algeria, Lebanon, Morocco and Tunisia.
MED GAIMS – GamifIcation for Memorable tourist experiences is a project is about developing games in physical and virtual format to create experiences for tourists, giving a necessary competitive edge to the attractiveness of less-known sites. The project seeks to increase tourism flows, covering all niches and segments like off-season travellers, creating jobs opportunities and start-ups for game entrepreneurs. The project has been applied to Lebanon, Spain, Italy and Jordan.
BESTMEDGRAPE – New Business opportunities & Environmental sustainability using MED GRAPE nanotechnological products is a project with the objective of supporting the creation of new startups/SMEs by transferring scientific/technological knowledge on local grape cultivars and the exploitation of wine by-products as a source of bioactive compounds that can be transformed into innovative commercial health products. The project aims to not only valorise a Mediterranean product – grape – but also the expansion of the grape value chain. The locations of interest for the project are; Italy, France, Tunisia, Lebanon, Jordan
NAWAMED – Nature Based Solutions for Domestic Water Reuse in Mediterranean Countries aims at changing the urban water management practice by mean of innovative, sustainable, and low-cost treatment technologies, applicable in a decentralised way, to replace the use of potable water with good quality of non-conventional water (NCW) – which comes as urban water is still the main cause of pollution of rivers and groundwater, even when treated before being discharged. The project is currently implemented in Italy, Tunisia, Lebanon, Jordan and Malta.
Forming Responsible Citizens – Promoting citizenship education to prevent school violence, particularly against girls and women is a UfM labelled project with the aim of the project is to promote established schools as a key vehicle to contribute to strengthening the civic values of young people and underline the role of schools and civic education as main vehicle for preventing violence and transmitting values of tolerance and equality between women and men. The project is currently implemented in Morocco, Tunisia and Egypt.
MAJALAT is project with the objective to create and promote a space of encounter and constructive dialogue between the civil society of the South of the Mediterranean and the European Union. Being designed and implemented by the Civil Society for the Civil Society, the project is conceived as an inclusive and participatory bottom-up process. The project has been implemented in Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, Syria and Tunisia.
TEC-MED – Development of a Transcultural social-ethical-care model for dependent population in Mediterranean basin has the main objective to develop an innovative and cost-effective socio-ethical care intervention framework which aims to improve and adapt social care policies tackling the phenomenon of the ageing population. A new organizational model, designed to support cooperation and partnership between public institutions and social care actors. The programme is currently implemented in Spain, Italy, Greece, Tunisia, Lebanon and Egypt.
COMMON – Coastal Management and Monitoring Network for tackling marine litter in Mediterranean applies the Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) principles to the challenge of marine litter, improving knowledge of the phenomenon, enhancing the environmental performance of 5 pilot coastal areas in Italy, Tunisia and Lebanon, and engaging local stakeholders in marine litter management.
The ‘Women of the Future in the Mediterranean’ is a UfM labelled project for young women from the southern shore of the Mediterranean. This programme aims to reach a double objective: boost the professional careers of young women with high potential and strengthen gender equality through mentoring, networking and spreading of best practices. The programme is currently implemented in Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Libya, Egypt, Jordan, Palestine, Lebanon, Syria and Turkey.
Combating Violence against Women in the Southern Mediterranean Region is a project that aims at contributing to the elimination of all forms of violence against women and girls (VAWG) in the Southern Neighbourhood. The project has been applied in Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, and Tunisia.
Euromed University of Fes labelled by the UfM, is a new regional centre of excellence promoting dialogue, intercultural exchange, sharing of knowledge and cooperation in the fields of higher education, research and innovation. Within an international environment, the UEMF seeks to deliver high standard multilingual and multi-dimensional programmes in Engineering and in Humanities & Social Sciences complemented by cross-cutting classes on Euro-Mediterranean history, civilizations, heritage and languages along with transversal courses in ICT’s and entrepreneurship.
Med Dialogue is a Technical Assistance Programme with the overall objective to strengthen the role of CSOs active at the regional scale, in building sustainable development, regional cohesion and resilience, as well as in influencing policy-making in the Southern Neighbourhood and the Euro-Mediterranean Space. The Programme strategy aims at addressing the needs of the civil society in the Neighbourhood South as an agent for change. Members of the dialogue include; Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, Tunisia, and other UFM members such as Albania, Bosnia. H, Mauritania, Monaco, Montenegro, and Turkey.
RUWOMED is a project that works on the issue of the economic empowerment of women from Palestine, and Palestinian women living in refugee camps in Lebanon. This cross-border cooperation initiative has supported hundreds of women in the development of small businesses in the agri-food sector so they can work and contribute to the income of their family.
LACTIMED (cross-border cooperation to promote typical dairy products in the Mediterranean) fosters the production and distribution of typical and innovative dairy products in the Mediterranean by organising local value chains, supporting producers in their development projects and creating new markets for their products. The project is currently implemented in the dairy chains of Alexandria and Beheira (Egypt), the Bekaa and Baalbeck-Hermel (Lebanon), Bizerte and Beja (Tunisia), Sicily (Italy), Thessaly (Greece), and France.
Cultural Routes for Sustainable Social and economic Development in Mediterranean (CROSSDEV), is a project that aims to reduce disparities and increase opportunities for decent life and jobs for all in the Mediterranean. The CROSSDEV project proposes the exploitation of local culture and heritage to be turned into assets for socio-economic local development. It has been implemented in Italy, Jordan Lebanon and Palestine.
WORKING SESSIONS
Future perspectives on the role of civil society in the EuroMed region
24 November 2020 – Online – (by invitation only)
In partnership with ENI CBC “Mediterranean Sea Basin Programme”
In partnership with the North-South Center of the Council of Europe
In partnership with the Institut Européen de Coopération et de Développement
FORUM
The future of Euromed civil society +25
25 November 2020 – Online – Open Event
14h30–14h45: Opening remarks
Nasser Kamel, Secretary General of the Union for the Mediterranean
Olivér Várhelyi, European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement
14h45-15h45: People-to-People cooperation – lessons learned from the Barcelona Process
Moderator:
Michael Köhler, Deputy Director-General of European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations at the European Commission
Panelists:
Elisabeth Guigou, President of the Anna Lindh Foundation
Blanca Moreno-Dodson, Manager of the Center for Mediterranean Integration, the World Bank
Ziad Abdel Samad, Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Arab NGO Network for Development
Barik Mhadeen, Senior Researcher, Human Security, West Asia – North Africa (WANA) Institute
Q&As session – 20’
16h-16h30: Promoting intercultural dialogue in the EuroMed region – Presentation by the Anna Lindh Foundation
The Anna Lindh Foundation will present its reflections and orientations on the future of social and cultural cooperation across the Euro-Mediterranean region, through the testimonies of actors that will share their direct experience on the ground as well as results of regional consultation processes and research carried out in the field of intercultural relations in the past years.
Moderator:
Eleonora Insalaco, Head of Operations and Intercultural Research
Panelists:
Dr Nabil Al Sharif, Executive Director of the Anna Lindh Foundation
Josep Ferré, Director General of the European Institute of the Mediterranean – Head of the ALF Spanish National Network
Fatima Zuhra Outaiss, Young Mediterranean Voices Leader – Morocco
Zeina Dbouk, ALF Trainer of trainers on Intercultural Citizenship Education – Assistant Principal at Lycée Celestin Freinet-Bramieh – Lebanon
16h45-17h45: Panel 2 / Future perspectives for civil society cooperation in the Mediterranean
Moderator:
Senen Florensa, President of the Executive Committee of the European Institute of the Mediterranean (IEMed)
Keynote speech:
Ouided Bouchamaoui, Nobel Peace Prize 2015
Panelists:
Hajar Khamlichi, President of the Mediterranean Youth Climate Network
Mariam Khalaf, Project Coordinator, Euromed Feminist Initiative
Guillaume Thureau, Director of the Spanish Association of Second Chance Schools E2O España
Q&As session – 20’
18h: Closing remarks
Closing remarks by Marisa Farrugia, Deputy Secretary General for Social and Civil Affairs
Co-organised by:
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