MED – MEDITERRANEAN DIALOGUES is the annual high-level initiative promoted by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and ISPI (Italian Institute for International Political Studies) in Rome with the aim to rethink traditional approaches to the area complementing analyses of current challenges with new ideas and suggestions and to draft a new “positive agenda”, addressing shared challenges at both the regional and the international level.
Launched in 2015, MED has quickly become the global hub for high–level dialogues on the broader Mediterranean engaging prominent leaders of Mediterranean governments, business, civil society, media and academia.
Rome MED builds upon four pillars: Shared Prosperity, Shared Security, Migration, and Civil Society and Culture. Debates on these topics are intended to complement analyses of current challenges with new ideas and suggestions to scale-up economic cooperation, overcome regional rivalries and conflicts, and ensure that adequate incentives for sustainable development are set in motion.
• Under the “Shared Prosperity” pillar, particular attention is devoted to the role that business leaders and civil society can play to foster prosperity and political stability in a region where new opportunities may be seized.
• Discussions on “Shared Security” are focused on viable strategies to avoid further turmoil, fight terrorism and promote successful post-conflict transitions and institution-building, thus enhancing resilience in Mediterranean countries.
• The “Migration” pillar encourages discussion about migration-related topics, including: identifying safe and legal routes for asylum seekers; fostering social inclusion; and efficiently combining countertrafficking policies with the respect of human rights.
• The “Civil Society and Culture” pillar allows to put all these challenges into perspective by acknowledging that the Mediterranean region is a unique “melting pot” of cultures and religions, with important historical legacies, and a rich natural and cultural heritage.
