History and objectives

Fondazione Laboratorio Mediterraneo proposes itself as a key subject of the Mediterranean Civil Society working towards the creation of an effective dialogue among the people living on its shores. It paid particular attention to South-Eastern Europe and the countries of the Southern shore, that due to historical events occupied a secondary role in terms of culture and international politics of the last few centuries.

A post-colonial era cannot be conceived of in a serious manner without sensing the deep unity which ties all countries of the Mediterranean, whatever their degree of social and economic development. Lacking this harmonising vision and its consequent unifying conduct, many Mediterranean countries will find difficulties in coming out of the situation they fell in the historical period when they were objects rather than subjects (slave trade, colonialism, exploitation of the South; stagnation under the great empires and conditions of underdevelopment for the South-East).

In order to overcome this phase and to reach a full and equalitarian participation a change in conscience is needed, based on the recognition of the role played by those Countries in the shared history, and a political revolution that overcomes direct or indirect assistance in order to enter a true partnership logic, able to rediscover and respect the historical individuality and the cultural uniqueness of all Mediterranean people in order to establish equalitarian form of association.

Essential preamble of this process is a new vision of the Mediterranean.

The Mediterranean must be seen in its entirety, not partially by sector or region.

Upon this concept the Fondazione Laboratorio Mediterraneo has structured its main actions, proposing Regions, Cities and local communities of Euromediterranean countries as the focus of all action.

The objectives of the Fondazione Laboratorio Mediterraneo are:

a) to pursue an ideal of peace and brotherhood among the people of the Mediterranean area - "cradle" of some of the most ancient civilisations – in order to give value to dignity to the Mediterranean world and multiple realities that compose it contributing to allow Macedonia to assume a important role for Europe and Mediterranean countries.

b) to record and diffuse the experiences made by the various Euromediterranean people in order to remove hostilities and misunderstandings, getting closer, from North to South and from East to West, the shores of the Mediterranean.

c) to promote common values through a stronger dialogue between cultures that contributes to a reconciliation of the societies and of the people of the Mediterranean, in the awareness of the common challenges and of the necessary commitment of joint responsibility towards the creation in the region of an area of peace and shared prosperity.

d) to promote the value and the coexistence of different cultural-linguistic entities giving priorities to human and Civil Society rights in the Euromediterranean region.

e) to promote and enhance the knowledge, the communication, the comprehension, the cooperation and the respect for Mediterranean people, also through research and valorisation of different traditions and cultures, environment and territory conservation, valorisation and safeguard of the past and present Euromediterranean cultural heritage.

f) to promote studies, researches, publications, permanent forum, conferences and cultural encounters.

g) to identify and valorise a “Mediterranean culture" in order to assert, by respecting and giving value to each specific identity, a common identity that favours feelings of peace and cooperation between people.

h) to promote and develop initiatives in terms of Euromediterranean partnership and decentralised cooperation in order to transform the debate taking place in the Mediterranean area and involving the Euromediterranean area, concomitant but divided, in an open and constructive collective talk, promoting the encounter, the exchange, mutual respect, the collaboration and the solidarity between neighbouring Countries.

i) to plan, develop and activate specialising databases in various disciplines.

l) to promote and valorise - through “EuromedCity” - the identity of Euromediterranean cities.

m) to favour dialogue and constructive confrontation between young Mediterranean people.

n) to work towards the amelioration of schooling infrastructures and universities with the aim of realising a basic curriculum common to all Mediterranean countries.

o) to promote research into health and for the promotion of physical well-being.

p) to create a network between the various organs of the Euromediterranean Civil Society.

q) to constitute a network of relations and cultural and scientific exchanges between Universities, Associations, etc. – of Euromediterranean countries – pursuing the same scopes and working towards reinforcement of the Euromediterranean partnership.

r) to be the executive instrument of the Academy of Mediterranean.

s) to promote, organize and manage:

- Training, updating and qualification activities focused on young people unemployed and/or employed;

- Training, updating and qualification for teaching and administrative staff, of public institutions, administrations and universities;

- long-distance training activities;