Ministers of foreign affairs and representatives of governments of 40 countries around the Mediterranean, and international organizations are meeting today in La Valetta, Malta, to agree on a UN Alliance of Civilizations regional strategy and action plan on intercultural cooperation for the Mediterranean.
The UNAOC Regional Strategy for the Mediterranean will convene relevant cultural, economic, social, and political actors to promote mutual understanding and improve mutual perceptions. It will aim to defuse cross-cultural tensions, bridge divides, and enhance security, human development, and intercultural dialogue among societies, institutions and individuals in the region.
The strategy will help generate joint ownership of these goals among key stakeholders. It will further a culture of peace through an enhanced framework for policy development, provide new opportunities to on-the-ground projects, link innovative initiatives across regions, and promote people-to-people contacts and collaboration. By building grassroots capacity and relations across borders, the strategy may also help spur progress in the Middle East peace process.
“We need to create new opportunities for new experiences and interaction to build a brighter future for peoples in the Mediterranean region,” UN Alliance of Civilizations, President Jorge Sampaio said. “Transcending our present difficulties in living together is an obligation. Governments, international organizations, key sectors of civil society, faith based organizations, the youth and the media, we all bear a joint responsibility for achieving results and making a difference”.
The Malta meeting is also bringing together a number of representatives of civil society organizations, universities, foundations, the corporate sector, youth and the media to exchange good practices in the field of intercultural dialogue and share ideas for future joint actions. These debates will provide partnership-building opportunities for participants with shared interests and offer approaches for best practices.