19 December 2024, Online – The Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), co-organized with the German Cooperation Agency (GIZ), successfully held a webinar titled Driving Gender-Lens Investment: Unlocking the Potential of Women-Led Social Enterprises in the MENA Region, on 19 December 2024. The Webinar, which had registered 60 participants, was structured into two main segments: the Presentation of Key Findings from an ongoing study on gender-lens investment, and a Panel Discussion featuring a diverse range of stakeholders. The session was designed to offer both insights and actionable recommendations aimed at fostering the growth of women-led enterprises in the region, while also… read more
11 December 2024, Athens. The UfM capacity building on gender equality and climate change event, held on December 11, 2024, in Athens, aimed to address the intersection of gender equality and climate change, focusing on empowering women entrepreneurs in the MENA region to overcome challenges in finance and market access, particularly in green and blue sectors. The event saw participation from around 30 women entrepreneurs in green and blue economy from the MENA region, alongside the trainer, experts, and representatives from Civil Society. It provided a platform for women to engage in practical exercises and discussions, focusing on topics such… read more
25-29 November 2024, Fes, Morocco. From November 25–29, 2024, the city of Fes, Morocco, became a hub of creativity and collaboration as 61 young leaders from 21 UfM Member States gathered for the UfM Med Youth Lab 2024. The initiative was organized by the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), with the support of the German Development Cooperation, in collaboration with the Euro-Mediterranean University of Fes (UEMF) and in partnership with Anna Lindh Foundation (ALF) and the European Institute of the Mediterranean (IEMed). Hosted at the modern UEMF Campus, this five-day initiative empowered participants aged 18–30 to create innovative solutions addressing some of the region’s most pressing… read more
4-5 December 2024, Larnaca. Cyprus. The Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) and the European University Cyprus (EUC) signed today a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to enhance bilateral cooperation in areas of common interest, notably in the field of civil protection and disaster risk management. The signing ceremony took place on the sidelines of the Nicosia Risk Forum 2025, held in Larnaca, Cyprus, with UfM Secretary General, Nasser Kamel, and EUC Rector, Professor Andreas Efstathiou, representing their respective institutions. This agreement aims to foster collaboration through initiatives including official visits and expert exchanges, joint projects and consultations, seminars and workshops, the exchange… read more
Barcelona, November 19, 2024 – The Spanish National Organisation for Cooperation and the Social Inclusion of the Disabled (ONCE) unveiled its special Med Day Coupon charity lottery ticket at the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) headquarters in Barcelona, commemorating the collaborative spirit of the Euro-Mediterranean community. This special “Med Day Coupon” edition, launched on November 19, reinforces a shared commitment to inclusion and solidarity for persons with disabilities across the region. The ticket was presented to UfM Secretary General Nasser Kamel by Enric Botí, delegate of ONCE in Catalonia. This Med Day Coupon initiative aims to draw attention to the… read more
16 July 2024, Online – The Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) successfully held its third and final Youth Focal Points Network meeting, focusing on “Youth Engagement in Policies on Social Inclusion and Participation”. The session began with opening remarks from the UfM Co-Presidency, represented by Mr. Fakhri Altwal from Jordan’s Ministry of Youth and Ms. Maria Teresa Castillo Campo from the EU Commission’s DG NEAR. Following this, UfM Deputy Secretary General for Social and Civil Affairs, John Paul Grech, delivered introductory remarks. Ms. Giulia Maria Ferraresi, Project Analyst in the same division, presented UfM’s efforts towards a Regional Agenda on… read more
13 June 2024, online – In line with the UfM Youth Agenda priorities, the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) is hosting three online meetings in 2024 for the UfM Youth Focal Points Network. These meetings aim to enhance youth involvement in policymaking on the three Agenda priorities: Climate Action and Environment, Education and Employment, and Social Inclusion and Participation. Following the initial meeting in May 2022 on Youth Engagement in Climate and Environmental Policymaking, the second meeting was held on June 13, 2024, focusing on Youth Engagement in Policies on Education and Employment. The event featured 45 participants, including UfM… read more
120 people have gathered for a two-day Union for the Mediterranean and Office of the Commissioner for Gender Equality of Cyprus event to assess the economic empowerment of women, gender-just responses to the climate crisis, violence against women and girls, and gender inequality in the media across the Euro-Mediterranean region. The conference facilitated debates surrounding the central themes of the 2022 UfM Ministerial Declaration on Strengthening the Role of Women in Society and help operationalise its 2024-2025 Roadmap for Implementation. Despite great strides towards gender equality, another 150 years are needed to attain full parity in the Middle East and… read more
22 May 2024, online – In alignment with the priorities set by the UfM Youth Agenda, the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) is organising a series of three online meetings in 2024 of the UfM Youth Focal Points Network. These virtual gatherings aim to explore how young people from the Mediterranean region can be actively and impactfully involved in policy-making processes related to the three thematic priorities of the UfM Youth Agenda: (i) Climate Action and Environment; (ii) Education and Employment; and (iii) Social Inclusion and Participation. The inaugural meeting took place online on 22 May, focusing on Youth Engagement… read more
Closing gender gaps in the MENA financial sector: towards women-led business development took place on March 6 and 7 in Cairo. 100 public and private sector participants engaged in strategic discussions and activities aimed at fostering inclusion in the predominantly male world of business. The conference featured six panel discussions and interactive roundtable talks on strengthening the role of women in the sector as well as an award ceremony for innovative women-led startups and a matchmaking session for founders and investors. Under 5% of businesses in the MENA region are led by women, around 20 percentage points below the global… read more
