2024-03-23 01:01:37
The cities of the Mediterranean, with their unique diversity, the different religions, languages and cultures that characterize them and their rich and turbulent history, are highlighted once again through the establishment of the annual “Mediterranean Capitals of Culture and Dialogue” Awards.
The Awards of the Mediterranean capitals highlight the important common cultural heritage of its countries, promote intercultural dialogue and cooperation, contribute to the mutual understanding of its peoples and aspire to the emergence of a common Mediterranean identity.
Based on Aliki Moschi’s proposal, which was unanimously adopted in 2018 by the Anna Lindh Foundation’s Board of Directors, the awards were presented for the first time in November 2021 in Limassol, Cyprus and Mostar, Bosnia. After a short pause due to the pandemic, the awards were unanimously adopted at the 2022 Euro-Mediterranean Cooperation Culture Ministerial Assembly in Naples and supported by more than 200 civil society representatives from 20 countries.
The cities selected stand out as examples of excellence in managing the multiculturalism that characterizes them, in supporting culture and promoting dialogue, thus strengthening the image of the Mediterranean as an area rich in cultural heritage and dynamic dialogue.
The winning Mediterranean Capitals for 2025 are Alexandria, Egypt and Tirana, Albania
The Awards are co-organized by the Anna Lindh Foundation and the Union for the Mediterranean.
The Anna Lindh Foundation is an international transnational organization that is the cultural and social arm of the Euro-Mediterranean Cooperation, active in the field of promoting intercultural dialogue and cooperation between the societies of the Mediterranean, through a network of more than 5 thousand organizations from 43 countries members of the Foundation. The Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) was established in 2008 as an evolution of the Euro-Mediterranean Cooperation of 1995, with the participation of all EU member states and the 15 countries of the South-Eastern Mediterranean except Syria (42 members in total), to promote regional cooperation, dialogue and solidarity.
The Awards are supported by the European Union, UNESCO, the Council of Europe, the Euro-Mediterranean Regional and Local Assembly (ARLEM), the World Heritage Organization for the Mediterranean (PAM) and the European Capitals of Culture Award.
The International Awards Monitoring Committee
The Monitoring Committee of the Awards is made up of the representatives of international organizations, as well as international experts of known prestige, including Mrs. Aliki Moschi with extensive experience in international organizations and initiatives for the promotion of culture and dialogue between peoples. Her participation in the International Monitoring Committee of the Mediterranean Culture and Dialogue Awards is yet another recognition of her work in this field and her decisive contribution to the establishment of the Awards.
Committee members are to visit the winning capital cities three times in 2024, to support them in their best possible preparation, elaboration and development of the program and events that will take place throughout 2025, the title year for the two winning Mediterranean Capitals.
*Aliki Moschi has been a member of the Advisory Board of the Anna Lindh Foundation since 2007 representing Greece.
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