Euro-Med to Med-Capital: Alexandria Edition
MCCD Cultural Timeline 2025
The Mediterranean Capitals of Culture and Dialogue (MCCD) is an initiative led by the Anna Lindh Foundation in partnership with the Union for the Mediterranean, with the support of ARLEM. Each year, two Mediterranean cities are selected to host a programme of cultural and intercultural activities that promote dialogue, creativity, and people-to-people exchange across the region. The first edition in 2025 was awarded to Alexandria (Egypt) and Tirana (Albania), in recognition of their rich Mediterranean heritage and dynamic cultural ecosystems. Earlier this year, Tirana also hosted ALForum 2025, the Foundation’s first forum in eight years, reaffirming the city’s role as a key centre for intercultural dialogue in the region.
Under the title Euro-Med to Med-Capital: Alexandria Edition 2025, the Alexandria programme will take place from mid-November to December, featuring performances, workshops, and artistic collaborations led by partners from across the Euro-Mediterranean region, all celebrating the city’s living Mediterranean identity.
The MCCD programme will continue in Tetouan (Morocco) and Matera (Italy) in 2026, with future host cities to be announced.
November 2025
December 2025
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| Leading Entity | Event & Artist | Date, Time & Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Diavlos |
Bridges
Ioulia Salvago Theatre (Greece)
Dance Performance
The activity aims to bring togehter Greeks, Egyptians and Egyptiots (Greeks living in Egypt) through folk culture. In the activity the greek folk dance Thessaloniki (leader Mr Dimitris Vouvakis), the egyption folk group of the greek communiy of Alexandria (leader Mr Dimitris Sakatzis) and 2 Egyptian groups are going to take part.
|
14-Nov | 6:30 PM Greek Club Soter |
| Diavlos |
Bridges
Ioulia Salvago Theatre (Greece)
Dance Workshop
The second day workshop open to the public will be given. The impact is important fistly among participants. The participating groups intent to worlk together for a common result pointing out not only to the common cultural elements but also the differences that open a creative cultural dialogue. The impact is also important because it give a message for coexistance and peace exploring common roots and hoping in common peaceful future. The interaction of the workshop is important for communication to all directions through dance.
|
15-Nov | 6:30 PM Greek Club Soter |
| Association Fanni Raghman Anni |
Tunisian Rboukh
Performer: Seif Eddine Jlassi (Tunisia)
Dance Performance
Executive Assistant: Aya Aouichaoui (Tunisia) A dance-based performance and installation bring the voices of marginalised groups to the forefront through the Tunisian bagpipe (mezwed). A unique fusion of dance and storytelling, it transforms a rich history into a shared, expressive experience. The performance fosters social inclusion, intercultural dialogue, and community engagement, allowing the audience to connect with issues of resilience and resistance against colonialism in the late 19th century and its cultural identity. Through Raboukh, the margins are transformed into dance spaces, and the rhythms of popular resistance become a lasting echo of social and cultural impact and transformation.
|
23-Nov | 7:00 PM ElMadina Arts |
| MIZAA Foundation for Development and Creativity |
Melodies of the Sea
Ahmed Mounir (Folk dancer & choreographer)
Performance
Abdelhamid Mohamed Ali (Folk dancer) Yasmine El-Sayed Ali (Folk dancer) Mirna Emad Gerges (Folk dancer) Areej Mohamed Abdelhakim (Folk dancer) ‘Melodies of the Sea’ is a vibrant intercultural folk performance by five young Egyptian artists. This show combines traditional folk dances with the symbolic Tanoura, reimagined as a celebration of Mediterranean diversity. It will integrate storytelling, live rhythms, and eco-friendly stage visuals inspired by Alexandria’s maritime identity.
|
27 Nov - 4 Dec | 7:00 PM Global Youth Alex |
| Institute for Advance Studies and Cooperation (IASC) |
From Albania to Egypt – The Common Story Through Culture, Politics, and Literature
Lecturer: Voltiza Prendi (Slovenia)
Lecture
Brings expertise in intercultural dialogue, conceptual framing, and cultural content, ensuring heritage and dialogue are meaningfully represented.
|
28-Nov | 11:00 AM Jesuit Cultural Centre |
| AGORA for Arts and Culture |
A Bed Not Suitable for Sleeping
Teatro Alsaeed (Egypt)
Theatre
Bab Elbahr Festival is Alexandria’s homegrown platform for hybrid cultural creation across the MENA region. Launched in 2011 by AGORA for Arts & Culture as Start With Yourself, it evolved into Bab Elbahr in 2013. Now marking its 10th edition, the festival inaugurates on 28 November—the International Day of the Mediterranean—celebrating Alexandria, the city of the Med. With long-standing support from the Drosos Foundation, Bab Elbahr blends onsite and online programs, showcasing projects developed through a 10-month fellowship managed by the Basita Live platform. This year’s venues and partners include the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, the Institut Français d’Alexandrie, Wekalet Behna, and the Goethe-Institut Garage.
|
30-Nov | 7:00 PM Institut français d'Alexandrie |
| Fundación Tres Culturas del Mediterráneo |
Shores that Sing
Soprano: Aurora Galán (Spain)
Concert
Piano: Jesús Manuel de Sancha Navarro (Spain) The proposed activities aim to make the most of the artists’ presence in Alexandria, despite the distance of more than 3,000 km. from Seville. Alongside the concert that will include influences from the East and the West, the masterclass on vocal technique will be a unique opportunity for a closer contact with Spanish artists and their experience as professionals. The program for the concert highlights how poems were transformed into well-known songs and how various composers were inspired by Orientalism, the historical presence of Arabs in Spain, and their enduring influence. By including works by Spanish women composers in the repertoire, the project underlines the important yet often overlooked role of women in the history of music. Furthermore, the masterclass, specifically addressed to women living in Alexandria, supports the active participation of young women in the field of classical music, encouraging their empowerment and artistic development. Together, the concert and masterclass foster intercultural dialogue and strengthen cultural ties between Spain and Egypt for a very varied and wide audience.
|
1-Dec | 7:00 PM Institut français d'Alexandrie |
| Fundación Tres Culturas del Mediterráneo |
Vocal Technique Masterclass with Aurora
Soprano: Aurora Galán (Spain)
Masterclass
Piano: Jesús Manuel de Sancha Navarro (Spain) The proposed activities aim to make the most of the artists’ presence in Alexandria, despite the distance of more than 3,000 km. from Seville. Alongside the concert that will include influences from the East and the West, the masterclass on vocal technique will be a unique opportunity for a closer contact with Spanish artists and their experience as professionals. The program for the concert highlights how poems were transformed into well-known songs and how various composers were inspired by Orientalism, the historical presence of Arabs in Spain, and their enduring influence. By including works by Spanish women composers in the repertoire, the project underlines the important yet often overlooked role of women in the history of music. Furthermore, the masterclass, specifically addressed to women living in Alexandria, supports the active participation of young women in the field of classical music, encouraging their empowerment and artistic development. Together, the concert and masterclass foster intercultural dialogue and strengthen cultural ties between Spain and Egypt for a very varied and wide audience.
|
2-Dec | 2:00 PM Institut français d'Alexandrie |
| AGORA for Arts and Culture |
Like a Bird
Mariam Dahab (Egypt)
Live Art Performance
Bab Elbahr Festival is Alexandria’s homegrown platform for hybrid cultural creation across the MENA region. Launched in 2011 by AGORA for Arts & Culture as Start With Yourself, it evolved into Bab Elbahr in 2013. Now marking its 10th edition, the festival inaugurates on 28 November—the International Day of the Mediterranean—celebrating Alexandria, the city of the Med. With long-standing support from the Drosos Foundation, Bab Elbahr blends onsite and online programs, showcasing projects developed through a 10-month fellowship managed by the Basita Live platform. This year’s venues and partners include the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, the Institut Français d’Alexandrie, Wekalet Behna, and the Goethe-Institut Garage.
|
6-Dec | 6:00 PM and 7:00 PM Wekalet Behna |
| AGORA for Arts and Culture |
Mariam Dahab
Mariam Dahab (Egypt)
Installation Exhibition
Bab Elbahr Festival is Alexandria’s homegrown platform for hybrid cultural creation across the MENA region. Launched in 2011 by AGORA for Arts & Culture as Start With Yourself, it evolved into Bab Elbahr in 2013. Now marking its 10th edition, the festival inaugurates on 28 November—the International Day of the Mediterranean—celebrating Alexandria, the city of the Med. With long-standing support from the Drosos Foundation, Bab Elbahr blends onsite and online programs, showcasing projects developed through a 10-month fellowship managed by the Basita Live platform. This year’s venues and partners include the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, the Institut Français d’Alexandrie, Wekalet Behna, and the Goethe-Institut Garage.
|
7-10 Dec Sunday 7 Dec, 1:00-9:00 PM Monday 8 Dec, 1:00–6:00 PM (Tuesday off) Wednesday 10 Dec, 1:00-9:00 PM Wekalet Behna |
| AGORA for Arts and Culture |
ROGUE: This Is Not a Fashion Show
Tawlaft Association for Artistic Creativity (Morocco)
Theatre
Bab Elbahr Festival is Alexandria’s homegrown platform for hybrid cultural creation across the MENA region. Launched in 2011 by AGORA for Arts & Culture as Start With Yourself, it evolved into Bab Elbahr in 2013. Now marking its 10th edition, the festival inaugurates on 28 November—the International Day of the Mediterranean—celebrating Alexandria, the city of the Med. With long-standing support from the Drosos Foundation, Bab Elbahr blends onsite and online programs, showcasing projects developed through a 10-month fellowship managed by the Basita Live platform. This year’s venues and partners include the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, the Institut Français d’Alexandrie, Wekalet Behna, and the Goethe-Institut Garage.
|
8 & 9 Dec | 7:00 PM Goethe-Institut Alexandria (Cultural Garage) |
| AGORA for Arts and Culture |
Not Just a Number
Dawar for the Arts (Egypt)
Theatre
Bab Elbahr Festival is Alexandria’s homegrown platform for hybrid cultural creation across the MENA region. Launched in 2011 by AGORA for Arts & Culture as Start With Yourself, it evolved into Bab Elbahr in 2013. Now marking its 10th edition, the festival inaugurates on 28 November—the International Day of the Mediterranean—celebrating Alexandria, the city of the Med. With long-standing support from the Drosos Foundation, Bab Elbahr blends onsite and online programs, showcasing projects developed through a 10-month fellowship managed by the Basita Live platform. This year’s venues and partners include the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, the Institut Français d’Alexandrie, Wekalet Behna, and the Goethe-Institut Garage.
|
10 Dec | 7:00 PM Institut français d’Alexandrie |
| AGORA for Arts and Culture |
Moon's Tales
Independent Al-Haya (Egypt)
Theatre
Bab Elbahr Festival is Alexandria’s homegrown platform for hybrid cultural creation across the MENA region. Launched in 2011 by AGORA for Arts & Culture as Start With Yourself, it evolved into Bab Elbahr in 2013. Now marking its 10th edition, the festival inaugurates on 28 November—the International Day of the Mediterranean—celebrating Alexandria, the city of the Med. With long-standing support from the Drosos Foundation, Bab Elbahr blends onsite and online programs, showcasing projects developed through a 10-month fellowship managed by the Basita Live platform. This year’s venues and partners include the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, the Institut Français d’Alexandrie, Wekalet Behna, and the Goethe-Institut Garage.
|
10 Dec | 7:00 PM Institut français d’Alexandrie |
| AGORA for Arts and Culture |
Medusa
Rahala for Arts (Egypt)
Theatre
Bab Elbahr Festival is Alexandria’s homegrown platform for hybrid cultural creation across the MENA region. Launched in 2011 by AGORA for Arts & Culture as Start With Yourself, it evolved into Bab Elbahr in 2013. Now marking its 10th edition, the festival inaugurates on 28 November—the International Day of the Mediterranean—celebrating Alexandria, the city of the Med. With long-standing support from the Drosos Foundation, Bab Elbahr blends onsite and online programs, showcasing projects developed through a 10-month fellowship managed by the Basita Live platform. This year’s venues and partners include the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, the Institut Français d’Alexandrie, Wekalet Behna, and the Goethe-Institut Garage.
|
11 Dec | 7:00 PM Institut français d’Alexandrie |
| AGORA for Arts and Culture |
Empty Bells
Forja Art Ensemble (Egypt)
Theatre
Bab Elbahr Festival is Alexandria’s homegrown platform for hybrid cultural creation across the MENA region. Launched in 2011 by AGORA for Arts & Culture as Start With Yourself, it evolved into Bab Elbahr in 2013. Now marking its 10th edition, the festival inaugurates on 28 November—the International Day of the Mediterranean—celebrating Alexandria, the city of the Med. With long-standing support from the Drosos Foundation, Bab Elbahr blends onsite and online programs, showcasing projects developed through a 10-month fellowship managed by the Basita Live platform. This year’s venues and partners include the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, the Institut Français d’Alexandrie, Wekalet Behna, and the Goethe-Institut Garage.
|
11 Dec | 7:00 PM Institut français d’Alexandrie |
| Oriel APS |
Voices in Motion
Lead Facilitator: Sillian Ferrari (Italy)
Theatre & Visual Arts
Graphic Facilitator: Evelyn De Luca (Italy) Theatre Expert: Pietro Tasso (Italy) A three-day intercultural artistic event held in Alexandria and based on collaborative art as a tool for inclusion and dialogue. Through three main different artistic expressions (theatre, audiovisual expression and body movement) participants will explore shared stories, identities and emotions of belonging to EUROMED region, co-creating performances, visual outputs and a final collaborative art piece that will reflect the diversity and unity of the Euro-Mediterranean region. The programme is designed as a non-residential, public and participatory event ensuring accessibility for young people, local communities and citizens of Alexandria.
|
19-20-21 Dec | 6:00 PM Sainte Famille Church |
| Col'jam |
Rives En Mouvement
Ahlam El Morsi and Wajdi Gagui (Morocco)
Workshop
A dance workshop open to youth, from amateurs to professionals. It celebrates Euro-Mediterranean diversity with a free, multidisciplinary performance, accessible to all, held in a public or cultural space, bringing the community together around a collective creation. This initiative encourages young people to express themselves, while strengthening community cohesion and the rich cultural heritage of the Mediterranean.
|
21-Dec | 12:00 PM Institut français d'Alexandrie |
| Col'jam |
Spectacle ROUH
Col'jam (Morocco & Tunisia)
Performance
A dance workshop open to youth, from amateurs to professionals. It celebrates Euro-Mediterranean diversity with a free, multidisciplinary performance, accessible to all, held in a public or cultural space, bringing the community together around a collective creation. This initiative encourages young people to express themselves, while strengthening community cohesion and the rich cultural heritage of the Mediterranean.
|
21-Dec | 7:00 PM Institut français d'Alexandrie |