The UfM participates in the meeting “Youth as an Agent of Change in the Mediterranean”

Murcia, 8th March 2012 – The Social and Civil Affairs Division participated in the meeting “Youth as an Agent of Change in the Mediterranean”, organized by the Spanish civil society platform for cooperation in the Mediterranean ECEM (Encuentro Civil EuroMed). The event was held last March 6-8 2012, in Murcia, Spain. The participants called for a more prominent role of the youth in the changed political and social environment of the Southern Mediterranean and offered their knowledge and experience in the process of the democratic transition of the region.

The Social and Civil Affairs Division extended its full support to the contribution of the Spanish civil society in developing the non-governmental sector in the Southern Mediterranean. Enhancing cooperation between the North and the South is essential in order to meet the urgent needs of the Southern Mediterranean, where the protection of vulnerable groups of society, particularly women and youth, remains a priority.

The participation in this event provided the Secretariat of the Union for the Mediterranean with an important opportunity to establish valuable new contacts with civil society. Providing these organizations with technical support and assistance through cooperation on concrete regional and sub-regional projects remains a crucial element of the Social and Civil Affairs Division’s activities and projects.