VALENCIA, 12 November 2021. The Mediterranean Citizens’ Assembly Foundation (MCAF) held its IX meeting, attended by delegates from 19 countries and 29 Euro-Mediterranean cities. The conference took place at the Faculty of Social Sciences of the University of Valencia and was in an hybrid format, with more than 100 participants. The aim of the MCAF is to promote the visibility of the cultural diversity of the Mediterranean region. This year’s meeting convened under the title “From a divided Mediterranean to a shared Mediterranean. A decade of citizen’s resistance”.
Ambassador Sergio Piazzi, on behalf of PAM, addressed the opening session by underlining that the Mediterranean region is still witnessing conflicts and instabilities and lack of dialogue in and among various countries, such as the Balkans, Middle East, North Africa, in addition to the crisis in Lebanon. The Ambassador noted that neither the pandemic nor migrations have helped the situation in the PAM region. He called for much needed political leadership and courage for the region.
However, the PAM Secretary General recalled that there are still a lot of successes in the promotion of cultural diversity and help throughout the shores of the Mediterranean.
“Connecting people is the fastest way to overcome perceived differences” said Amb. Piazzi. PAM member parliaments, as well as its partners, are working in order to “show solidarity[..] invest in youth and in job creation […] connect Start-ups from the two shores […]fight for climate action[…] empower women[…] seek peace and security […] encourage mobility[…] launch a Euro-Mediterranean and Gulf Community for Renewable Energy” enumerated Amb. Sergio Piazzi.
PAM strongly believes that the only way to build a stronger Mediterranean region, on all its aspects, is by the creation of a strong and lasting cooperation among the countries, the parliaments and the civil societies of all the states of the Mediterranean region. “We do need to continue to build bridges. Together” concluded Ambassador Piazzi.//