Med Dialogue Programme announces the release of its new publication: “Bridging the sea: a review of Mediterranean civil society”16.02.2021

Med Dialogue for Rights and Equality EU-Programme launches a new digital publication, called “Bridging the sea: a review of Mediterranean civil society”. Based on the findings of an extensive mapping survey research, the publication features 5 thematic chapters and comes with a range of analyses and data that can help civil society seizing the opportunities associated with regional action in the Mediterranean.

Illustrating main Euro-Mediterranean civil society field of work, sources of funding, achievements and challenges, this publication is in the same time, practical, highly-educational and inspiring. Some of the topics covered in this mapping survey include democratic cause, environmental engagement, Mediterranean common destiny, resources and sustainability and regional advocacy.

To mark the occasion, Med Dialogue for Rights and Equality programme is organizing one dedicated online public debate on February 18^th 2021 at 5 pm (CET). This special session will be held under the topic “Bridging the sea: What are regional civil society’s challenges in the Mediterranean? “ . It represents the third of a series of six online debates being held within the framework of this publication. It will gather Mediterranean prominent figures to exchange about the state of civil society network working beyond borders or having a transnational status in the region: Yasmina Khadra, Algerian writer, Khaled Mansour, Senior fellow at the Arab Reform Initiative, , Graziella Rizza, Head of Governance, EU Delegation in Egypt, Thierry Fabre, Essayist and programme director at IMéRA as well as Paolo Carlini and Ibrahim Heggi, authors of the Med Dialogue mapping survey and Lina Alameddine, Med Dialogue programme.

It is recalled that this publication is a result of a mapping survey research, conducted between December 2019 and May 2020, which identified over 150 Mediterranean civil society networks and entities, working in the region on different topics (migration, human rights, cultural understanding, environment, etc.). It will be available for downloading in margin of this online debate from February 18^th 2021 at www.meddialogue.eu.

In this context, this online public debate will aim at assessing the potentials and the obstacles civil society working beyond borders is facing nowadays in the Mediterranean; as well as at formulating the recommended policies and measures to strengthen its role. It will therefore be an opportunity for civil society practitioners and journalists to frankly exchange with the speakers about Mediterranean challenges and other relevant questions.

This series of online debates topics are the following:

• 1^st Public debate on “A Mediterranean common vision” (January 13, 2021)
• 2^nd Public debate on “Environmental engagement in the Mediterranean” (January 29, 2021)
• 3^rd Public debate on “Civil society in action: lessons from the Mapping survey” (February 18, 2021)
• 4^th Public debate on “CSO mission, democracy and accountability” (March, 2021)
• 5^th Public debate on “Successes and failures of regional advocacy action” (April, 2021)
• 6^th Public debate on “Achieving sustainability in civil society work” (April, 2021)

Practical information:

The debate will last 90 minutes, and would be held in English, with Arabic and French translation for the registered organizations/ persons. The debate will be hosted on Zoom and also broadcasted live on Facebook.

Only registered participants before February 17, 2021, at 12.00 pm (CET) will have access to Zoom platform and take advantage of the translation service provided, except for media actors who will have an unlimited access. Meanwhile, the rest of the participants may follow the debate on Facebook live and interact directly with speakers by writing comments and questions.

Registration form for participants

Med Dialogue for Rights and Equality is a 3-year (2019-2022) EU-funded technical assistance regional programme with the overall objective to strengthen the role of CSOs active at the regional scale, in building sustainable development, regional cohesion and social resilience, as well as influencing policy-making in the South end Neighborhood and the Euro-Mediterranean region.

For more information, please contact gianluca.solera@particip.com, Med Dialogue for Rights and Equality team leader.

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