ALForum Day 1 – Anna Lindh Foundation

18 June

10.30-11.45 am

1- Greener together: Taking to the next level Youth participation in sustainable climate policies

Hotel of Tirana, Consortium

This session explores climate change through a socio-economic lens, focusing on empowering youth to shape sustainable and inclusive responses in one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable regions—the Euro-Mediterranean. With over half the population under 25 and rising inequalities threatening long-term stability, climate action must move beyond environmental targets to strengthen social and economic resilience.

The discussion will spotlight holistic approaches that connect youth engagement, community resilience, and research-informed policymaking. Participants will learn how inclusive planning processes can embed social equity into climate agendas, ensuring that transition strategies reflect the realities of those most affected.

Speakers will present models of youth-led innovation, local activism, and evidence-based collaboration that redefine the role of young people, from advocates to co-designers of climate futures. The session positions the region as a potential model for equitable transformation, where the participation and leadership of the next generation drives sustainable development.

Panelists: 

2- Enhancing Inclusion in the Digital Economy: A Mediterranean and bottom-up perspective on the human dimension of work   

Hotel of Tirana, Metropol

Coorganising Partner: Access to Knowledge for Development Center (A2K4D) and the MENA Observatory on Responsible AI

This session explores how AI-driven transformations and platform-based employment are reshaping labour markets across the Mediterranean, particularly for young people navigating high unemployment and informal work. As more workers turn to digital platforms, many remain excluded from legal protections, decent wages, and social security, deepening inequalities within vulnerable communities.

Drawing on fieldwork by the MENA Regional Platform Workers Network, coordinated by A2K4D, the session examines the lived realities of platform workers in the region. It will unpack how algorithmic management, opaque governance structures, and fragmented regulation contribute to precarious labour conditions, while highlighting civil society’s role in advocating equitable digital economies.

Speakers will share concrete strategies for advancing labour protections, increasing algorithmic transparency, and promoting inclusive, rights-based governance of digital work. By linking grassroots research with policy advocacy, the session will provide insights into building fairer digital economies that uphold dignity, justice, and accountability, placing people, not platforms, at the centre of innovation.

Panelists: 

3- Voices of Resolve: Women Leading Change Across the Mediterranean 

Hotel of Tirana, Teuta

This session highlights the determination and leadership of women driving systemic transformation across the Euro-Mediterranean region. Despite persistent barriers—including restricted economic access, political underrepresentation, and enduring cultural biases—women are forging new pathways for equity, resilience, and progress.

The session explores how women shape inclusive governance, advance peacebuilding, and build community-rooted enterprises by bringing together case studies and firsthand accounts. Speakers from diverse sectors will examine what makes gender strategies effective, focusing on intersectionality, sustained local leadership, and empowerment frameworks that move beyond symbolic representation.

Participants will gain access to innovative models and actionable insights that redefine women not as beneficiaries of reform but as architects of transformation. Whether in policymaking, entrepreneurship, or civic engagement, this session celebrates women’s agency as a driving force for inclusive regional development.

Panelists: 

4- Art, Women, and Reconciliation: Transforming Trauma into Collective Healing

Opera House, Cultures

This session will convene a thought-provoking discussion with four arts professionals from diverse fields, demonstrating how women’s artistic practices transform experiences of trauma and resilience into narratives of hope and unity. The dialogue will emphasize the significance of cultural justice in peacebuilding and examine how women’s unique capacities foster connection and belonging through their art.

The session will also include a short performance by a chamber choir from Bosnia and Herzegovina, whose repertoire includes works by female composers representing a range of Mediterranean ethnic and religious traditions.

The role of women in the arts is increasingly recognized as essential for healing and reconciliation in post-conflict areas. Women are often portrayed as symbols of motherhood, leadership, or mediation, and these roles have found powerful expression in art. Through their creativity, women challenge traditional narratives and drive healing—both personal and collective—particularly in regions affected by conflict.

Artistic initiatives often provide a platform for women’s voices, which are too frequently sidelined in conventional peace processes. The intersection of art and activism empowers women to actively shape post-conflict narratives. Art’s capacity to heal emerges as a vital tool for rebuilding societies fractured by conflict, with women playing pivotal roles in this process.

Panelists: 

Concordia Sonora is a vocal ensemble composed of professional musicians from various backgrounds. The ensemble performs a stylistically diverse repertoire – ranging from Renaissance music and arranged traditional songs to contemporary composed works. They place special emphasis on the social context of music and its role in shaping new narratives of inclusivity, anti-discrimination policies, and community.

5-Voices for change: Combating Stereotypes and Advocating for Migrant Rights Across the Euro-Mediterranean

Opera House, Balsha

This session brings together diverse perspectives from civil society organizations addressing forced migration in the Euro-Mediterranean region. As divisions grow and stereotypes stick around, people in civil society are stepping up to fight false beliefs, stop hate speech, and promote real inclusion. The panel, which includes people from all over the area, talks about how civil society organizations are telling different stories that are based on rights, dignity, and social cohesion.

From grassroots activism to working together across borders, guests will talk about what really works: how to get people involved, change people’s minds, and tell stories that make people feel like they belong instead of putting them down. The session also goes into detail about policies and shows how both local and international work can affect change and make protections for migrants stronger.

This talk brings together experiences from the media, refugee inclusion initiatives, activism and legal advocacy to compare tactics used in various countries while also bringing up common problems and creative solutions.

At its core, the session stresses how important it is for civil society to change the narrative on refugees and to promote inclusive solutions.

Panelists: 

6- Art, Creativity and Cultural Actions: alliances to promote equity across diversity

Opera House, Classic

This panel aims to explore the issues related to equality between different cultures and artistic practices, highlighting both the challenges and opportunities that enable better cultural inclusion. Through the sharing of experiences and testimonials, this panel will highlight concrete projects that promote better representation of cultural diversity in art. These inspiring examples will illustrate the strategies implemented at various levels, from local to international.

Finally, this discussion aims to propose action points to ensure true cultural equality, by considering ways to guarantee equitable access to resources, creation spaces, and dissemination channels. It will highlight potential levers to strengthen the recognition of different artistic practices and encourage collaboration among cultural stakeholders committed to promoting diversity.

Panelists: 

7- Bridging Beliefs: Interfaith Education and Cooperation for Inclusive Societies

Hotel of Tirana, Blue

This session explores how religious diversity, often seen as a dividing line, can become a powerful force for connection and resilience across the Euro-Mediterranean region. With its wealth of spiritual and intellectual traditions, the region holds immense potential to transform interfaith dialogue into a cornerstone of inclusive societies.

Focusing on the intersection of education, media, and community engagement, the session highlights innovative initiatives such as interfaith teacher trainings, children’s cultural workshops, peace-focused podcasts, and community radio programs. These cross-sector efforts are reshaping narratives, fostering coexistence, and building trust at the grassroots level. Speakers will examine how formal curricula, local storytelling, and EU policy frameworks can better reflect and support multifaith realities. The session will also address structural barriers to religious literacy and inclusion, framing these challenges as opportunities for deeper dialogue and shared citizenship.

This session, which brings together educators, young leaders, media professionals, and cultural practitioners, offers practical tools and fresh perspectives on how faith-based engagement, rooted in pluralism and democratic values, can strengthen social cohesion and contribute to a more just and inclusive Mediterranean future.

Panelists: 

8-Information and Narratives Crisis: Regional Approaches to Countering Disinformation and Misinformation

Hotel of Tirana, Abreti 1/2

This session addresses the escalating disinformation and misinformation crisis and its corrosive effects on democracy, public trust, and intercultural dialogue across the Euro-Mediterranean region. As digital platforms amplify false narratives and external actors exploit information gaps, the need for coordinated, values-based responses has never been greater.

Participants will hear from fact-checkers, grassroots organisations, and media professionals who are reshaping how we respond to disinformation and misinformation. The session will spotlight bold, regionally rooted strategies—from EU strategic communications to community-led media literacy campaigns—that counter polarisation and promote inclusive storytelling.

Beyond analysis, this is a call to action. The conversation will explore ways to build digital resilience, safeguard democratic discourse, and foster cross-border cooperation in the face of narrative warfare. Attendees will leave with actionable insights on how to protect truth not only as a value to defend but also as a tool to mobilise, connect, and rebuild trust across divides.

Panelists: 

9-Youth mobility: A bridge between cultures for a strengthened Euro-Mediterranean dialogue Coorganising Partner: UNIMED

Hotel of Tirana, Bodgani

This session focuses on how youth mobility, particularly through student exchange programs, can catalyse intercultural dialogue, mutual understanding, and regional cohesion across the Euro-Mediterranean. Mobility programs foster global competencies, personal growth, and long-term cross-cultural relationships by enabling students to live, learn, and engage in different cultural settings.

But the impact of mobility goes far beyond individual enrichment. It builds institutional ties, enhances academic collaboration, and stimulates the co-creation of knowledge across borders. Youth engaged in international study and research become future leaders, equipped to address shared challenges and drive regional integration and stability.

Drawing on successful case studies, the session will explore how mobility experiences contribute to personal and systemic transformation. Speakers will examine how such programs can be more inclusive and equitable, ensuring wider access regardless of socioeconomic background or geographic location.

Participants will reflect on key policy enablers, cross-sector partnerships, and regional cooperation frameworks that can scale the impact of mobility. Ultimately, this session will demonstrate how placing youth at the centre of regional exchange strengthens intercultural trust and builds the foundations for a more cohesive Euro-Mediterranean future.

Panelists: 

10- Ensuring Meaningful Youth Participation in the Med: Tackling Instrumentalisation and Overcoming Obstacles

Hotel of Tirana, Orange

This session examines the structural and cultural forces that lead to the instrumentalisation of youth in civic and political initiatives. As young people continue to be framed as symbols of the future, their involvement is frequently reduced to token gestures rather than substantive engagement. Drawing on experiences from Egypt, Spain, Austria, and Turkey, this session brings together youth practitioners and network representatives to explore how to ensure inclusive and authentic participation frameworks.

The conversation will unpack the structural and behavioral obstacles that hinder meaningful youth involvement—from biases in program design to unsafe environments that deter honest engagement. Instead of asking how to include youth, the conversation shifts to how to share power with them – across different institutions and communities.

The speakers will co-develop a practical guide on ethical youth engagement that is adaptable to different national contexts. This guide aims not only to document best practices but to catalyze long-term change in how organizations approach youth participation.

This session aims to act as a foundation for advocacy and behavioral shifts in how institutions engage with youth, aiming to reframe youth participation from symbolic to transformative.

Panelists: 

11- Intersectional Belonging: Migration, Identity, and Participation in Diverse Societies

Hotel of Tirana, Orange

This session aims to act as a foundation for advocacy and behavioral shifts in how institutions engage with youth, aiming to reframe youth participation from symbolic to transformative.

Panelists: 

12.00-13.15 pm

1- من الطموح إلى التأثير: شباب يصنعون القرار ويقودون التغيير في المنطقة الأورومتوسطية

Hotel of Tirana, Bodgani

يُعد تمكين الشباب عنصرًا أساسيًا في تحقيق التنمية الشاملة والمستدامة، خاصة في المجالات الاقتصادية والسياسية والاجتماعية. ومع ذلك، غالبًا ما يُختزل دور الشباب في تمثيل رمزي لا يمنحهم التأثير الحقيقي في صنع القرار. من الضروري الانتقال من المشاركة الشكلية إلى تمكين فعلي يعترف بدور الشباب كشركاء فاعلين في التغيير. تهدف هذه الجلسة الى تعزيز دور الشباب كقادة وقوة دافعة للتغيير من خلال تمكينهم بالمهارات الازمة لاتخاذ القرارات الفعالة وتعزيز روح القيادة والتنافسية لديهم لمواجهه تحديات العصر وقياده المستقبل بثقة .

Panelists: 

2- Tech for Good: Exploring the nexus between Innovation, Inclusion, and Digital Citizenship 

Hotel of Tirana, Bodgani

This session explores how emerging technologies, especially artificial intelligence, can be mobilised to advance inclusion, intercultural dialogue, and civic engagement across the Euro-Mediterranean. As the digital landscape expands, concerns over disinformation and misinformation, algorithmic bias, and social exclusion grow parallel, raising the stakes for ethical and inclusive innovation.

Speakers from civil society, academia, and the tech sector will examine how regionally grounded digital tools—from multilingual AI systems to civic tech platforms—can enhance participation, bridge divides, and safeguard democratic values. The session will spotlight how grassroots actors and global institutions are reimagining “tech for good” as a shared agenda, rooted in equity and local empowerment.

With a focus on youth, women, and marginalised communities as digital leaders, the discussion will explore intersections between digital sovereignty, global tech governance, and regional policy frameworks. This is a call to shape technology not just as a force of disruption, but as an engine of social cohesion and inclusive citizenship in the Euro-Med region.

Panelists: 

3- From Stories to Strategies: Women, Identity, and Influence 

This session explores how women across the Euro-Mediterranean are transforming personal experience into powerful strategies for societal change. In a region marked by layered inequalities and entrenched gender stereotypes, women are reshaping public narratives as activists, artists, entrepreneurs, and cultural leaders.

Participants will engage with first-hand accounts from women who translate identity into influence—using storytelling, intercultural expression, and civic action to shift perceptions, reimagine leadership, and claim space in policymaking and public life. The session highlights practices that disrupt exclusion, from digital platforms and street art to inclusive design and policy innovation.

Through lived experiences and transformative initiatives, speakers will demonstrate how narrative becomes a strategic tool for change. This is a space to reflect, connect, and learn from trailblazing women who break silences, dismantle norms, and build inclusive futures—one story, one strategy at a time.

Panelists: 

4- Building transnational bridges: The Power of Cultural Mobility

Hotel of Tirana, Abreti 1/2

This session looks at how cultural mobility can help connect people, ideas, and living experiences across the Euro-Mediterranean region, not just between places. Mobility is still one of the best ways to spark imagination, deepen understanding, and create the kind of social innovation that our region needs right now, even though the landscape is complicated and broken up.

The session brings together people from the ALFinMotion program and shares stories of real impact—how cultural workers, artists, and thinkers have used mobility to change their work, broaden their worldviews, and connect with communities in deep, important ways. But it also gets to the larger questions: What does it mean to move when not everyone can do so easily? How can we mix face-to-face interactions with new digital tools like AI and VR without losing the human touch that makes cultural exchange so powerful?

Panelists: 

5- Youth and Cultural Narratives: join actions against polarization and hate speech

Hotel of Tirana, Classic

 This session addresses one of the most pressing challenges in the Mediterranean today: the rise of polarization and hate speech, particularly among youth. It is set to create a space for youth to challenge ideas, exchange lived experiences, and propose youth-led solutions to combat divisive rhetoric. Drawing on ALF’s programs such as Young Arab Voices and Young Mediterranean Voices, the session emphasizes critical thinking, argumentation, and constructive disagreement.

Adopting a structured, debate-based format, the session aims to sharpen speakers’ skills in evidence-based reasoning and respectful discourse. By engaging with diverse perspectives—from Tunisia, Ireland, Spain, Morocco, and Belgium—speakers will explore the root causes of polarization and reflect on how intercultural dialogue can serve as a tool for resilience and social cohesion. The format also encourages the development of leadership and communication skills essential for civic participation in diverse societies.

Speakers will contribute to a set of youth-led recommendations for tackling hate speech and will help shape a shared vision for inclusive civic participation. The recommendations will be documented and shared across the Anna Lindh Foundation network, contributing to broader advocacy and programming efforts.

Ultimately, the session highlights the power of dialogue-based engagement in building youth resilience against hate and fostering a more inclusive, connected Mediterranean future.

Panelists: 

6- Multi/Inter-cultural cities: stakeholders & the challenge of collective actions

Hotel of Tirana, Balsha

This session looks at the city as a complicated place to live, where identity, culture, and government all come together. As cities become more diverse, it’s more important than ever to have regulations that include everyone and government that works with everyone. Local governments, civil society groups, business owners, and academics are all taking part in this talk to think about how different groups shape, challenge, and support multicultural living in cities.

Building on earlier study done in Greece, this session looks at experiences from all over the Euro-Med region and compares them. It will look at new trends in intercultural conversation, the gaps in governance in stakeholder collaboration, and possible models for long-term cooperation in cities. The panel wants to do more than just talk about problems that everyone faces. They also want to come up with workable plans for conversation, networking, and shared policy ownership, pointing out both problems and good ideas.

Panelists: 

7- Shifting the Narrative: Civil Society Grassroots Organizations Tackling Barriers to Equality in the South Mediterranean region

Hotel of Tirana, Consortium

This panel offers a powerful reimagining of how we understand and address social inequalities, grounded not in top-down strategies, but in lived, localized experiences. The speakers, leaders in the fields of autism rights, disability empowerment, refugee inclusion, and minority advocacy, bring not only professional expertise, but personal proximity to the injustices they confront. Their contributions highlight context- specific, culturally informed approaches that emerge from community resilience, human dignity, and grassroots innovation. These are not abstract concepts, but practical and replicable models for inclusion and social transformation. By weaving together intersecting narratives of disability, displacement, and ethnic marginalization, the session invites reflection on the complexity of inequality, and the creativity, courage, and persistence required to dismantle it.

More than a celebration of resilience, this dialogue recognizes the power of grassroots interventions as scalable blueprints for wider systemic change. It demonstrates that inclusion is not an ideal, but a lived process of struggle, negotiation, and achievable transformation.

Panelists: 

8- Two-way street: Research as basis for action and action as evidence for research

Hotel of Tirana, Orange

This session explores the vital need to deepen the link between research and grassroots action across the Euro-Mediterranean region. While community-based initiatives often bring agility and relevance, they may lack structured evaluation or alignment with broader policy frameworks. Conversely, academic and policy research can risk remaining detached from local realities, limiting its utility and impact.

This conversation underscores the importance of grounding community programming in rigorous, context-sensitive research, while also generating research insights from lived experience and civic action. Speakers will present effective collaboration models between scholars, civil society, and policymakers that foster iterative learning and measurable outcomes.

The session highlights strategies for participatory evaluation, data-informed planning, and interdisciplinary methods that bridge the gap between knowledge and implementation. It advocates for a cultural shift in knowledge production: breaking silos between academia and practice, empowering local actors as co-creators of evidence, and promoting responsive policy grounded in real-world dynamics. This session reinforces the mutual flow between research and action and offers a roadmap for more adaptive, inclusive, and impactful development practices in the region.

Panelists: 

9- Youth Uniting the Mediterranean – Transnational Citizens’ Assemblies for Climate Action

Hotel of Tirana, Onufri

This session explores the potential of transnational citizens’ assemblies as a participatory response to one of the greatest shared challenges of the Mediterranean region: climate change and environmental degradation. With a strong focus on youth, the session will highlight how deliberative democratic tools can foster more accountable, inclusive, and sustainable decision-making across borders.

Using real-life examples from around the region, like energy justice consultations in Tunisia and Lebanon and youth-led digital engagement projects, the session will look at how these assemblies can make the voices of ordinary people heard, bring people from the North and South together, and create a shared environmental agenda for the Mediterranean. This session sees young people as co-creators of new ways of running the government. This means that their work is not only activism, but also a form of societal change. 

Panelists: 

10- Youth and Children mental health in a changing society: prevention, best practices, coping strategies 

Hotel of Tirana Metropol

This session tackles the escalating youth mental health crisis across the Euro-Mediterranean region. From conflict and forced displacement to economic instability, climate anxiety, and social isolation, young people today face a convergence of stressors that transcend national borders. While the drivers of psychological distress may differ between Europe and the Southern Mediterranean, the need for coordinated, culturally sensitive responses is shared.

The session will present best practices on early intervention, prevention, and resilience-building from both institutional and grassroots levels. Case studies will showcase how schools, youth organisations, and local authorities create protective environments, offer psychosocial support, and integrate mental health into broader youth development strategies.

Speakers—including youth advocates, educators, mental health professionals, and civil society actors—will share actionable insights on how to build supportive ecosystems for youth well-being. Special attention will be given to stigma reduction, peer-led initiatives, and the importance of cross-sector collaboration.

Rather than sounding alarms, the session aims to equip participants with adaptable strategies to address mental health holistically, anchored in compassion, prevention, and dignity. It will explore how mental well-being can become a core component of social resilience and youth empowerment efforts across the Euro-Med region.

Panelists: 

15.45-17.00 pm

1- Preserving the Past, Cultivating the Future: Leveraging Native Varieties for Sustainable Tourism, Food Systems, and Climate Action

Hotel of Tirana, Bodgani

Co-Organising Partner: GIZ Albania – Sustainable Rural Development Project 

This session examines how native plant types can be effective tools for resilience, sustainability, and cultural preservation throughout the Euro-Med region. Beyond their agricultural worth, these seeds preserve the memory of place, history, and survival, providing a path to climate adaption, regenerative tourism, and inclusive food systems. 

The session will use real-world examples, such as Albania’s Autochthonous Seeds Project, to explain how communities are recovering indigenous variety to boost local economies, preserve ecological knowledge, and develop people-centered environmental policy. These programs, which are rooted in biodiversity and driven by community agency, are about more than just heritage; they are about building forward-thinking paradigms that put people and the world first. 

Panelists: 

2- thinking Mediterranean Diplomacy: Challenges and Opportunities for Regional Cooperation

Abreti 1/2

This session presents a sharper and more cohesive perspective on Mediterranean diplomacy. Despite a shared history of interdependence, today’s region is often treated as a fragmented mosaic of interests and sub-regions. This fragmented approach undermines the ability to respond effectively to transnational challenges such as economic fragility, climate change, security threats, and unresolved conflicts.

The Mediterranean’s potential as a unified geopolitical actor remains largely untapped amid escalating global crises. This session calls for boldly reimagining the frameworks, identities, and platforms shaping regional diplomacy. Drawing on successful and stalled examples of multilateral cooperation, the discussion convenes institutional actors, policy experts, and civil society leaders to explore what it would take to forge a Mediterranean space grounded in strategic alignment rather than symbolic gestures.

The conversation delves into the possibilities of institutional reform, the breakdown of diplomatic silos, and the role of civil society in driving a more integrated, responsive, and resilient regional architecture. Framed as both critique and roadmap, the session offers forward-thinking proposals for a diplomacy of cooperation—one that is rooted in shared interests, political insight, and civic engagement.

Panelists: 

3- Intercultural dialogue as a mean to foster cooperation, understanding and peaceful co-existence in the Euro-Med region

Hotel of Tirana, Onufri

This session examines how intercultural dialogue is more than just an idea; it’s a strong way to build trust, lower tensions, and encourage real cooperation in the Euro-Med region. As the world becomes more global, people communicate, value, and understand things in very different ways. These differences often cause mistakes that make it challenging for people to work together and live together.

This session is an interactive workshop that gives people real-life experience with how to deal with and benefit from ethnic diversity. Participants will learn about how cultural understanding affects identity, behaviour, and teamwork through interactive group activities, simulations, and role-playing games that are based on non-formal education.

The session, which is led by experienced trainers, breaks down how people from different backgrounds see the world, deal with problems, and interact with each other. It reveals the deep-seated values and assumptions we hold, which often go unspoken but significantly influence how we interact with one another. The unique thing about this workshop is that it combines theory with practical skills. It suggests that talking to people from other cultures can help bring people together, stop social division, and encourage peaceful coexistence. It gives people in the Euro-Med new ways to think about diversity in policy, education, and everyday public life.

Panelists: 

4- Langues, récits et territoires : vers une diplomatie culturelle du quotidien

Hotel of Tirana, Teuta

Cette session repense la diplomatie culturelle non pas comme un processus formel et descendant, mais comme une pratique quotidienne, dynamique, ancrée dans l’expérience locale et l’expression créative. Alors que les approches institutionnelles reposent souvent sur un langage standardisé et des cadres officiels, elles négligent parfois les échanges culturels informels—dialectes, arts communautaires, rituels locaux et récits personnels—qui favorisent la confiance, déconstruisent les stéréotypes et renforcent la cohésion sociale.

Dans l’espace euro-méditerranéen, la montée en visibilité des récits informels et des langues vernaculaires dans les médias et les arts—comme la présence accrue de l’arabe maghrébin—témoigne d’un tournant vers des formes d’identités plus inclusives et représentatives. La session explore comment les pratiques culturelles dans les marchés, les festivals, le street art ou les médias communautaires nourrissent la compréhension interculturelle et le sentiment d’appartenance.

À travers des exemples concrets d’événements portés par les communautés, d’interventions artistiques contre la xénophobie et l’islamophobie, et d’initiatives culturelles intergénérationnelles, la discussion repositionne l’engagement culturel quotidien comme une forme puissante de diplomatie. Elle invite à repenser la diplomatie comme un processus vécu, évolutif et centré sur les personnes, capable de renforcer la cohésion dans une région marquée par la diversité et la complexité.

Panelists: 

5- Resilience, Culture, and Countering Disinformation

Hotel of Tirana,Balsha

This session focuses at the extended Black Sea, which is one of the least known but most important strategic areas in the Euro-Med area. People often only see the region as a place where there is conflict, division, and political uncertainty. They don’t see it for what it really is: a dynamic culture corridor and a crossroads of resilience, shared identity, and untapped strategic value.

Due to ongoing and frozen conflicts, disinformation campaigns, and unclear geopolitical lines, the Black Sea is not discussed much in policy and academic circles. Still, it’s important to understand how things work in the larger area, where NATO borders meet cultural ties and stories can be made or broken. With a panel of voices from civil society, academia, and foreign institutions that are both male and female, this session will explore the Black Sea’s rich intercultural fabric and its promise for unity. Speakers will talk about how fighting false information, embracing cultural variety, and encouraging regional cooperation can lead to more open and people-centered policymaking.

This talk, which is meant to involve many people, will break down barriers and give new ideas about how the Black Sea affects peace and resilience in the Euro-Med area.

Panelists: 

6- Fact-Check & Connect: Fighting Misinformation Through Intercultural Dialogue

Opera House, Cultures

Misinformation is more than just a technical problem in this era of information overload; it is a social one that frequently widens gaps and perpetuates cultural stereotypes. An engaging youth-led session aims to address this issue by fusing intercultural communication with media literacy. 
Dynamic activities such as the “True or Fake?” quiz, real-world case studies, and the construction of a collaborative Fact-Check Wall will be undertaken by participants from throughout the Euro-Mediterranean region. These activities develop useful abilities in spotting bias, identifying manipulation, and reacting with inclusive narratives. 
The session is unique because it uses an international lens to examine how false information spreads differently in various situations and how young people may use empathy and critical thinking to create bridges. A discussion on cultural biases and digital resilience will follow a panel of young people sharing their own experiences managing false information. 

Panelists: 

7- Fact checking and data integrity: On the perils of information bubbles, fake news, and biased data and how to fight them 

Opera House, Cultures

In a rapidly shifting information landscape, the unchecked spread of fake news, biased data, and algorithm-driven echo chambers poses serious risks to democratic dialogue, civic trust, and public policy. These challenges are acute in the Euro-Mediterranean region, where polarised narratives and politicised data hinder cooperation and fuel social fragmentation.

This session brings together leading voices from civil society, media, and academia to explore how misinformation undermines civic space, distorts collective understanding, and impedes evidence-based governance. It will highlight practical tools for fact-checking, digital media literacy, and data integrity—from grassroots initiatives to institutional responses.

Participants will gain insight into innovative strategies implemented at local, national, and regional levels, including EU frameworks and cross-border collaborations. The session will also offer space for interactive engagement, allowing attendees to share concerns, pose questions, and explore collective solutions.

This is not just a conversation about problems—it’s a dialogue on the concrete steps needed to defend truth, restore trust, and equip communities with the tools to navigate today’s complex information ecosystems.

Panelists: 

8- Social Innovation for Sustainable Futures: The role of Inclusive Employment and Urban-Rural Development

Hotel of Tirana, Blue

This session explores how social innovation can bridge territorial and socio-economic divides across the Euro-Mediterranean region. While cities often benefit from concentrated investment and infrastructure, rural and peripheral areas face persistent challenges such as youth outmigration, unemployment, and heightened climate vulnerability. Yet, these regions also possess valuable cultural and ecological resources that can drive inclusive, sustainable development.

Focusing on the intersection of sustainable livelihoods, social entrepreneurship, and digital innovation, the session will highlight grassroots initiatives transforming rural and urban spaces—from agro-tourism cooperatives and women-led rural enterprises to tech platforms empowering local artisans. It will also demonstrate how environmental stewardship, cultural heritage, and economic inclusion can be aligned through place-based innovation.

Participants will also explore how targeted policy frameworks, educational investment, and infrastructure support can unlock the full potential of social innovation ecosystems. With a strong emphasis on youth-led initiatives and interregional knowledge exchange, the session will examine how inclusive employment strategies and cross-sector collaboration can enhance both the scale and impact of community solutions.

Ultimately, this conversation shows that local innovation is central to climate resilience and regional sustainability, turning under-resourced areas into catalysts of shared prosperity.

Panelists: 

9- Empowering Youth: Tackling AI-Driven Mis/Disinformation and Fostering Intercultural Dialogue

Hotel of Tirana, Consortium

This session explores the dual role of Artificial Intelligence in shaping digital landscapes—both as a vector for misinformation and disinformation, and as a tool for building intercultural understanding. With young people at the forefront of digital creation and consumption, the conversation highlights their agency in shaping AI’s trajectory and ensuring it serves inclusive and constructive purposes.

Speakers will examine how algorithmic systems can distort narratives, amplify bias, and undermine trust while presenting innovative youth-led efforts that leverage AI for positive change. Real-world examples will show how technology has challenged disinformation, promoted cross-cultural collaboration, and empowered youth voices across the Euro-Mediterranean region.

The session will equip participants with practical skills to recognise manipulated content, apply critical thinking in digital spaces, and advocate for ethical AI use. It will also spotlight strategies for using AI and tech-based platforms as vehicles for intercultural dialogue, civic engagement, and informed digital citizenship.

This session, framed within broader debates on AI governance and youth participation, positions young people as key actors in shaping a more transparent, inclusive, and resilient digital future.

Panelists: 

10- A shared heritage: reconnecting Mediterranean youth through culture

Tirana International Hotel, Metropol Room

The Euro-Mediterranean region is marked by diversity, division, and shared history. Hence, this session explores how cultural heritage can be reimagined as a tool for fostering intercultural dialogue, peacebuilding, and inclusive identities among the region’s youth. Despite its potential, heritage education across the region often remains fragmented, outdated, or overly nationalistic, missing the opportunity to connect young people to the rich, interconnected histories that define the Euro-Mediterranean.

This session calls for a new approach: embedding intercultural values into heritage education and positioning youth as central actors in reclaiming and reshaping their cultural narratives. Drawing on examples from civil society and the education sector, the discussion will highlight practical models for using cultural heritage to strengthen mutual understanding and civic engagement from an early age.

It will also examine current gaps in national education systems and explore how cross-border collaboration between educators, policymakers, and youth organisations can scale these efforts. Speakers will advocate for cultural heritage education that reflects lived realities, promotes diversity as a strength, and builds a sense of shared belonging, laying the groundwork for a more cohesive and peaceful Euro-Mediterranean future.

Panelists: 

11- Salt: Preserving Collective Memory

Main Hall, The Opera

For centuries, Mediterranean sea salt has been an important ingredient in food, medicine and ritual across cultures – holding a special place in the bodies and consciousness of people who live with and alongside this ancient body of water. While our food practices are similar, each region brings their own unique flavor to how we use salt.

We have crafted an intimate workshop to invite participants to nurture connections around food culture, rooted in respect and curiosity for each other across the EuroMed region and beyond.

As a group, we will engage in collective mapping of our various relationships with salt across time, using poetry, doodling and calling on personal and communal histories. Building on this, we will dream up literal and metaphorical recipes with salt at the heart of them. We will also break bread and salt together throughout.

Panelists: 

17.15-18.30 pm

1- Plural Feminisms: Bridging Perspectives

Opera House, Main Hall

What does feminism mean when different bodies, stories, and nations shape it? Participatory Plural Feminisms is a workshop where feminist ideas can be explored through movement, storytelling, and group art. The idea behind this class is that feminism is not a one-size-fits-all approach. It gives people a chance to think about how they personally and culturally understand gender, identity, and power.

The session is meant to be open and collaborative, and it pushes people to be vulnerable, talk, and connect. You don’t need any training; you just need to be ready to think, move, and make things. To respect the variety and depth of feminist experience, we will work together to create a shared story.

Panelists: 

2- Creative Futures: Building Skills for EURO-MED

Hotel of Tirana, Balsha

The importance of CCSI (Cultural and Creative Industries) to the Euro-Mediterranean region’s social and economic development is emphasized in this session. This session will center on how better to equip vocational education and training (VET) providers to meet the changing needs of industries that have made significant contributions to the economy, culture, innovation, and employment.

In this session, panelists will look at practical ways that creative sectors and educational institutions may work together to promote sustainability, diversity, and innovation. The conversation will provide examples of how vocational training has been successfully integrated into larger economic policies in the European Union, Egypt, Lebanon, and Jordan. Moreover, it will highlight scalable solutions and best practices that address important concerns like gender inequities, underutilized digital and green technologies, informal economies, and skill mismatches. Digitalization, internationalization, and sustainability can be achieved through the collaborative efforts of stakeholders from government, education, and industry.

After attending this event, participants will have the knowledge and skills necessary to influence creative professions and bring about significant systemic change. In keeping with the goals of the Union for the Mediterranean, this meeting will advocate for the development of creative industries that can withstand economic shocks and provide jobs for all.

Panelists: 

3- The Signs of Times: How AI tools are reshaping the way we work, and how to make the most out of it 

Opera House, Orange

This session explores one of the defining transformations of our era: the impact of artificial intelligence on employment, particularly for young people across the Euro-Mediterranean. From accelerating digital content creation and healthcare innovation to enhancing climate action and governance, AI is no longer a future promise—it is today’s workplace reality.

Yet, the rapid adoption of AI brings not only opportunities but also disruptions. Labour markets are evolving, digital divides are deepening, and ethical questions are multiplying. The session will examine how AI can be harnessed inclusively to empower youth, close access gaps, and build more equitable work futures.

Drawing on EU frameworks such as the Digital Education Action Plan, national initiatives, and regional strategies like those promoted by the Union for the Mediterranean, speakers will present human-centred and rights-based approaches to preparing young people for the future of work. This session is not only about technology but about creating inclusive pathways for leadership, innovation, and decent work in an AI-driven world.

Panelists: 

4- Breaking Barriers: Intersectional Discrimination and Women’s Marginalization in the Euro-Med Region

Hotel of Tirana, Onufri

This session dives into one of the most pressing, but frequently overlooked, issues confronting the Euro-Med region: the several layers of discrimination that disproportionately affect women. Many women are systematically pushed to the outskirts of society, owing to legal constraints and economic deprivation, as well as the combined consequences of migration, disability, and ethnicity.

This event brings together civil society leaders, activists, and policymakers from Egypt, Tunisia, Greece, and Morocco, allowing for cross-border interaction, collective problem-solving, and action-oriented dialogue. The session unpacks how legal, social, and cultural frameworks sustain inequality—and what we can do to alter it—using a dynamic mix of iparticipatory policy labs, storytelling, and digital case mapping.

This is more than just a discussion. It is a working lab that will produce tangible results, including a policy brief, a regional roadmap, and a digital awareness campaign driven by ALF network members. By emphasizing intersectionality, the workshop transcends gender to reflect the complex reality of women’s lives in various circumstances. Whether you’re in charge of policy, program design, or community mobilization, this session will provide new views, hands-on skills, and opportunities for regional collaboration to build more inclusive futures.

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5-Unlocking potential: Practices, policies, and pathways for women entrepreneurs

Hotel of Tirana, Consortium

Across the Euro-Mediterranean region, many women aspire to lead businesses and contribute meaningfully to their economies. However, systemic obstacles—from limited access to capital and market opportunities to entrenched gender norms and regulatory constraints—prevent women from turning their entrepreneurial aspirations into sustainable ventures. These barriers are especially pronounced for women in rural areas, migrant communities, and those without access to mentorship or institutional support.

This session explores a range of practical and policy-driven interventions to close the gender entrepreneurship gap. Drawing on qualitative research and successful initiatives, speakers will examine how gender-sensitive education, tailored financial tools, and peer networks can strengthen women’s strategic vision, sustainable thinking, and business resilience. Special attention will be given to the pivotal role of civil society organisations in delivering targeted programmes, advocating for inclusive frameworks, and fostering collaborative ecosystems that enable women entrepreneurs to flourish.

In addition to mapping current challenges, the discussion will identify enabling factors that support long-term success, such as ethical finance, local-to-regional partnerships, and intersectional policy design. These elements can help scale local initiatives and transform women-led ventures into engines of inclusive economic development. The session will call for coordinated action across sectors to mainstream support for women entrepreneurs and ensure that gender equity becomes a cornerstone of regional innovation and growth.

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6-Words that Connect: Language, Culture, and Soft Power

Hotel of Tirana, Blue

This session explores the strategic role of language and culture in shaping identity, diplomacy, and social cohesion across the Euro-Mediterranean region. Indeed, intercultural communication is a critical asset for building bridges and exercising inclusive forms of soft power in a space marked by linguistic diversity, migratory flows, and shifting narratives.

Highlighting examples such as grassroots language cafés for refugee integration and poetry translation projects preserving cultural nuance, the session will examine how narrative, education, and translation serve as transformative tools for connection. It will also reflect on the potential and limitations of AI in translation, acknowledging its speed while cautioning against the loss of empathy, depth, and cultural authenticity.

This discussin, which brings together educators, cultural practitioners, technologists, and artists, reframes language as more than a medium—it becomes a force for empowerment, equity, and regional cooperation. Participants will leave with forward-looking strategies for using language and culture to elevat

Panelists: 

7-Exploring the role of libraries in unveiling shared heritage

Hotel of Tirana Abreti 1/2

Coorganising Partner, CERL, The Consortium of European Research Libraries

This session highlights libraries as vital yet under-recognised spaces for fostering intercultural understanding and safeguarding shared heritage across the Euro-Mediterranean. With centuries of multilingual, multi-faith, and cross-cultural knowledge housed in their collections, libraries hold enormous potential to advance open science and deepen cultural connectivity—provided that their resources are made visible, accessible, and interoperable.

Despite their rich manuscripts and printed works, many regional libraries face challenges in cataloguing, digitisation, and equitable representation of minority languages and traditions. As a result, significant intellectual legacies remain inaccessible to broader publics and global research communities.

This session explores how academic institutions, civil society, and cultural actors can cooperate to protect bibliographic heritage and align it with open science objectives. Through real-life case studies and active regional initiatives, participants will discover how libraries can serve as strategic enablers of inclusive research, cultural dialogue, and a more connected Euro-Mediterranean future—bridging past and present through knowledge preservation and collaboration.

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8-Fighting misinformation and disinformation on collective identities in the Euro-Med region

Hotel of Tirana, Classic

This session is very timely, especially with today’s hyperconnected world, where disinformation is more than a digital nuisance and more of a growing threat to social cohesion, democratic values, and cultural diversity across the Euro-Med region. The panelists of this session will tap into how false narratives exploit existing tensions, reshape public opinion, and erode collective identities.

Bringing together experts from Portugal, Italy, Turkey, Egypt, and Luxembourg, this session will unpack the disinformation landscape across diverse contexts—what’s working, what’s not, and what civil society can do about it. Through real-world examples, participants will explore the intersections of technology, media literacy, and grassroots activism, while examining the legal, policy, and societal levers needed to build digital resilience. This session is designed to move beyond debate and rather offer practical tools, tested interventions, and collaborative strategies to tackle misinformation head-on. Participants will engage in interactive discussions and working groups, leading to a shared action framework that centers on restoring trust, celebrating diversity, and reinforcing democratic dialogue.

This isn’t just a conversation—it’s a call to co-create solutions and reclaim the power of truth in shaping the future of the Euro-Med region.

Panelists: 

9- Art Experience for Intercultural Dialogue – Putting our art into Motion

Hotel of Tirana, Bodgani

Through a strong mix of art, humour, and live performance, this session reimagines how people from different cultures can talk to each other. Based on the ideas of understanding, acceptance, and our common humanity, it looks at how creative activities like music, art, calligraphy, and clowning can help break down prejudice, question stereotypes, and strengthen ties between cultures.

This session is a living place for cross-cultural storytelling because it brings together different artists and an interested audience in a dynamic way. You can look forward to an immersive trip that starts with a performance art and then turns into an open, interactive conversation. The speakers will talk about the symbolic meanings behind their creative work, and the audience is encouraged to think, react, and share their thoughts and experiences.

The structure of this session is unique because it combines performance, dialogue, and co-creation. Adding calligraphy and clowning adds levels that were not expected. One uses written art to show cultural beauty, and the other uses humour to help people understand and accept differences. This is not just another panel; it’s an interactive, sensory-based event that puts the people in the room at the centre of the story.

Panelists: 

10- Breaking Barriers: Mastering Communication and Feedback in Diverse Cultures

Opera House, Cultures

Communication. Communication. Communication.

In a region as rich and diverse as the Euro-Mediterranean, communication isn’t just about words; it’s about understanding, context, and connection. Miscommunication can fracture trust, while meaningful feedback can build bridges across cultures. This session dives into the often-overlooked force behind effective intercultural dialogue: two-way communication.

The panel will explore how communication styles and feedback mechanisms differ across cultures—and why understanding these differences is crucial for building stronger, more cohesive communities. Through interactive elements, audience engagement, and real-time reflections, participants will gain practical tools to navigate cultural nuances, overcome miscommunication, and lead with greater cultural awareness in both personal and professional settings.

This session offers more than theory—it delivers hands-on strategies and lived experiences that reveal how communication, when done right, can be a powerful catalyst for social cohesion and inclusive development.

This session, framed within broader debates on AI governance and youth participation, positions young people as key actors in shaping a more transparent, inclusive, and resilient digital future.

Panelists: 

11- Green Voices, Collective Efforts: Youth-led action across the public-private divide in the MENA and Europe 

Hotel of Tirana, Metropol

Coroganising Partner, Swedish Dialogue Institute for the Middle East and North Africa

This session centres youth as catalysts of climate resilience, peace, and sustainability across the Euro-Mediterranean. Against a backdrop of worsening environmental threats and institutional inertia, young leaders are developing climate solutions that cut across sectors, borders, and ideologies. Yet, their efforts are often siloed or under-recognised within formal policy frameworks.

The conversation will spotlight youth-led initiatives integrating civic activism, entrepreneurship, and research, from community-based adaptation projects to climate-focused startups and regional policy advocacy. It will examine how these efforts are transforming national and regional climate agendas, mainly when supported through public-private partnerships.

Speakers will highlight the importance of cross-sector collaboration and structural support, from dedicated funding mechanisms to regulatory access and innovation ecosystems that sustain youth engagement beyond the pilot phase. Emphasis will also be placed on how peace and security considerations intersect with the climate agenda, particularly in fragile contexts across the MENA region.

This session aims to reframe youth climate leadership not as symbolic participation but as a core element of inclusive governance. Participants will gain insight into scaling impact through trans-Mediterranean cooperation and practical strategies for integrating youth into institutional climate processes—from local action to EU-MENA collaboration.