Cluster 1 : Vision Med 2030
Vision Med 2030 is a debate and strategizing initiative launched in July 2019, as part of the Med Dialogue for Rights & Equality Programme. It provides civil society actors in the Mediterranean region with a space for exchange and reflection aimed at facilitating the development of a shared vision on the Mediterranean as a “common house” for the peoples of the region; and at preserving and building upon the collective and common human and natural heritage of the Mediterranean basin. It also hopes to strengthen civil society’s commitment and ability to address the political, socio-economical, cultural, and environmental challenges affecting the Mediterranean basin today with a regional perspective.
The year 2020 marks the 25th anniversary of the Barcelona Declaration, which paved the way to a new period of cooperation and integration among the nations of the Euro-Mediterranean space. The challenges and the crises the Mediterranean basin is facing today – whether at the political, socio-economic, environmental or cultural level – require a new vision and an invigorated commitment by the citizens and the civil society of the region to advocate for a common destiny, prepare the conditions for building it, and to carry out new practices of trans-national citizenship.
Vision Med 2030 Workshops
Vision Med 2030 is a consultative and debating process structured along three steps:
• Two South-South consultation workshops – one for the Maghreb region (July 2019) and the other for the Mashreq region (March 2020), and
• One North-South workshop carried out in November 2021, after the Covid-19 outbreak, which reflected on the results of the previous events and involved citizens of both shores in the process.
The main objective of the consultation process is to produce a set of documents that provides a vision for the Mediterranean region as a common space, and a lasting environment for cooperation and political construction, a sort of manifesto on the Mediterranean for the years to come, where a roadmap and operational recommendations required to achieving such vision are also discussed.
The Maghreb and Mashreq workshops brought together over 30 representatives each, including engaged citizens, and members of civil society organisations who were invited to participate, in addition to active youths below the age of 35 years who were selected through an open call.
These South-South consultations were combined with capacity development sessions on dialogue and negotiation techniques, to equip participants with tools and methods to enhance their capacities in addressing the subject matter, strengthen their regional networks, and promote policy exchange.
Vision Med 2030 Expected Outcomes
The expected outcomes of Vision Med 2030 are:
• A common understanding of the main regional challenges in terms of economic, social and political cooperation and development, cultural belonging and environmental challenges achieved.
• A shared vision on the future of the Mediterranean, with a symbolic horizon toward 2030 conceived (Statement).
• A possible roadmap toward planning the building of the Mediterranean region as a common space is drafted (Operational recommentations).
• Information exchanged and shared on regional coordination and follow-up,
• Experiences inspired by such a vision shared among CSOs members and stakeholders.
• The role of civil society in the follow-up to Vision Med 2030 and related action agreed upon.
