Creating a Regional Platform for the Development of Cultural and Creative Industries and Clusters in the Southern Mediterranean
Context and objectives
The European Commission launched a regional programme with the aim of boosting employment and business development in the Southern Mediterranean region by contributing to the growth of creative industries. The programme, entitled Support for the Development of Cultural and Creative Industries and Clusters in the Southern Mediterranean, was developed and implemented by the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), and helped to develop business skills and foster entrepreneurship in the creative industries.
The UfM-labelled project to establish a Regional Platform for the Development of Cultural and Creative Industries and Clusters in the Southern Mediterranean aimed to complement these activities by strengthening and further developing the project’s regional dimension. The project provided a regional platform for dialogue and knowledge exchange within the cultural and creative fields. This platform fostered entrepreneurial cooperation and put particular focus on gender issues. Furthermore, it highlighted the potential of the cultural and creative industries, as well as promoting employment opportunities in the Southern Mediterranean.
The project included an analysis of the current challenges faced by eight cultural and creative industry clusters selected by UNIDO. The UfM Secretariat identified relevant enterprises and stakeholders and organised eight workshops, which provided an opportunity to identify common challenges across the region and define training needs. This project is part of the Mediterranean Initiative for Jobs (Med4Jobs).
Location
Key figures
Duration:
2014-18
Countries:
7
Total cost:
€300,000
Workshops:
8
Financial contribution
€600,000 – Italian Cooperation
Promoter
The project was promoted by the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), a specialised UN agency whose mandate is to promote and accelerate sustainable industrial development in developing countries and economies in transition.
Key partners
The working group on Euro-Mediterranean industrial cooperation and the European Commission (DG Enterprise and Industry and DG Development and Cooperation).
Beneficiaries
- Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises and relevant stakeholders from the Southern Mediterranean
- National and regional government institutions
Key actions
Analysing the current challenges faced by the eight cultural industry clusters selected by the EU/UNIDO programme.
Identifying relevant enterprises and stakeholders within the same industry clusters in other Southern Mediterranean countries.
Organising workshops (one per cluster) bringing together all the enterprises and stakeholders selected by UNIDO and the UfM Secretariat.
Identifying common challenges across the region and defining training needs for all the industry clusters.
Organising a regional workshop in cooperation with the project’s partners and in liaison with national and financial institutions, with the aim of disseminating best practices in the Southern Mediterranean region.
Results
Identification of the needs of creative and cultural industry clusters at national and regional levels in terms of support services and capacity building.
Promotion of employment opportunities and synergies in the Southern Mediterranean region.
Establishment of a regional platform for policy dialogue, exchange of experiences and dissemination of best practices in the context of the cultural and creative industries.
