Together for a Stronger Euro-Mediterranean Partnership: UfM Regional Forum marks the 30th Anniversary of the Barcelona Process

The Euro-Mediterranean Summit of Regions, held alongside the General Assembly of the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CPMR), will convene high-level regional representatives and key stakeholders to discuss the new landscape of cooperation under the EU’s New Pact for the Mediterranean.

The summit will provide a platform for regions to articulate priorities, align positions, and adopt a Joint Declaration, reinforcing their role in shaping the Mediterranean’s future.

Organisers: Government of Catalunya in collaboration with the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM)

As wildfires seasons across the Mediterranean grow longer and more unpredictable, this workshop will convene operational services, scientists, civil protection authorities, and policy actors to share lessons learned, align early-warning systems, and strengthen preparedness, response, and regional coordination.

The aim is to accelerate practical cooperation across the Euro-Mediterranean area, including cross-border frameworks that complement and integrate with the Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM), while also promoting the use of cutting-edge technologies—from satellite services to AI-driven modelling—in risk analysis and emergency operations

Organisers: European Commission (DG-ECHO), Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), PPRD Mediterranean and OSA

Marking 30 years of the Barcelona Process, the Euro-Mediterranean Civil Society Conference 2025 will bring together over 100 regional and institutional representatives to reinforce civil society’s role in shaping an inclusive and sustainable Mediterranean.

Against the backdrop of pressing regional challenges, including climate risks, social justice, and economic integration, the event will launch an ongoing dialogue to transform shared insights into lasting cooperation, advancing people-
centred governance, institutional collaboration, and long-term sustainability for a Mediterranean built not just for its people, but with them.

Organisers: European Institute of the Mediterranean (IEMed), Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) and Government of Catalonia

In the spirit of its previous editions, the Conference of Mediterranean Cities will bring together mayors and representatives of local authorities to engage with civil society, academia, and socio-economic actors. The conference will serve as a platform to share experiences, align priorities, and advocate for a stronger role for cities in Euro-Mediterranean cooperation.

Building on 30 years of the Barcelona Process, the Conference will explore future pathways to strengthen the engagement of local authorities in upcoming regional agendas and initiatives.

Held alongside MedCities’ Annual General Assembly, the event aims to maximise engagement and foster inclusive, forward-looking collaboration across the region.

Organisers: Barcelona City Council, MedCities, European Institute of the Mediterranean (IEMed) and the Diputació of Barcelona, in collaboration with the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM)

The Mediterranean faces growing, interconnected challenges—from climate-induced disasters to protracted conflicts and resource pressures—that call for a coordinated regional response and stronger partnerships with neighbouring regions. This event will examine how the Union for the Mediterranean can advance an integrated resilience agenda, connecting prevention, adaptation, and mitigation.

By engaging partners from the Gulf region, the discussion will help identify shared priorities, strengthen coordination and policy alignment, and promote sustainable post-crises recovery and resource management to build long-term resilience across the Euro-Mediterranean region.

Organisers: Union for the Mediterranean (UfM)

Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Union for the Mediterranean will gather in Barcelona to address the region’s most pressing challenges — notably the alarming situation in the Middle East — and to reflect on the future of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership. Marking the 30th Anniversary of the Barcelona Process, the meeting will serve as an opportunity to endorse the UfM’s new strategic vision.

The Meeting will be chaired by Kaja Kallas, the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the European Commission, alongside Ayman Safadi, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of Jordan,

in the presence of Nasser Kamel, the Secretary General of the Union for the Mediterranean. The Ministerial Meeting will be hosted by José Manuel Albares, Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation of Spain.

Organisers: UfM Co-Presidency (EU and Jordan), UfM Secretariat and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, EU and Cooperation of Spain

On the sidelines of the UfM Regional Forum, a high-level launch event for the new EU Pact for the Mediterranean will be held, bringing together EU Member States and the EU Southern Neighbourhood.

This year’s Day of the Mediterranean cultural act commemorates the 30th Anniversary of the Barcelona Process, highlighting culture as a bridge of understanding across the region. The programme will feature Manuel de Falla’s masterpiece El Amor Brujo, performed by the Camerata Penedès under renowned violinist Elena Rey, with acclaimed flamenco singer Mayte Martín.

Opening the cultural act, Syrian oud player Gani Mirzo and Syrian-Catalan actress Manar Taljo will perform Arab musical pieces and recite poems by Mediterranean women poets, blending flamenco, Arab, and Romani traditions into a moving expression of dialogue, connection and hope for a peaceful Mediterranean.

Organisers: European Institute of the Mediterranean (IEMed), Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) Barcelona City Council, Government of Catalonia, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, EU and Cooperation of Spain