La Fondazione Mediterraneo

Michele Capasso set up the Fondazione Mediterraneo in 1991 [summary], an International institution that:

• develops dialogue between society and culture as a means to affirm fundamental rights (civil liberties and political freedoms; economic, social and cultural rights; sexual equality), democracy and justice by pursuing values founded on mutual respect.

• is an instrument that searches for solutions to unresolved problems with the goal of eliminating threats to peace though strategies of peaceful co-existence.

• is a vehicle for cohesion and complementariness in jointly managing the are referred to as the Greater Mediterranean, including through the Euro-Mediterranean policies of the European Union (the Barcelona Process, Neighbourhood Policies, the Union for the Mediterranean, etc.)

facilitates the participation of actors from Institutions and Civil Society in networks, platforms, forums and other spaces where dialogue exists by encouraging creating connections and partnerships to avoid duplication and ensuing waste of resources. To this end, the Fondazione supports, develops and gives added values to existing bodies and activities capitalizing on the efficient use of human and financial resources, and as a consequence outputs.

carries out activities and programmes addressing in particular youth issues in emerging and Arab countries.

The actions of the Fondazione Mediterraneo are based on a lightweight and flexible organizational model. The Fondazione has ongoing collaboration frameworks at the highest level in designing and managing programmes and multidisciplinary technical teams to support its activities including publishing and multimedia products; the organization of conferences, congresses, workshops; communications.

Accordingly, together with its seats in different countries and its various network bodies, the Fondazione has achieved structural actions aimed at:

1. Networking activities between the Seats of the Fondazione;

2. Participating in the programmes and activities of the National and International Networks that the Fondazione is a member of;

3. Coordinating in a technical-organisational capacity from the Central Seat;

4. Directing coordination from the Maison de la Méditerranée, the Maison des Alliances, and the Maison de la Paix-Casa Universale delle Culture;

5. Managing data-bases;

6. Managing websites and portals;

7. Managing the Press Office and press releases;

8. Managing the library and newspaper library;

9. Managing conference, congress, seminar, workshop, exhibition spaces, as well as other events at the central seat;

10. Carrying out actions to enhance international visibility of programmes and initiatives;

11. Building and establishing institutional relations with countries, institutions and associations of the Greater Mediterranean;

12. Organising study trips and meetings in countries of the Greater Mediterranean and elsewhere;

13. Organising high profile political, cultural and scientific meetings with leading personalities of the countries of the Greater Mediterranean (Heads of State, Ministers, Ambassadors, Presidents of Regions, Provinces and local community organizations, Deans of Universities, etc.);

14. Organising the “Mediterranean Award” for the publication of the Book and the affirmation of peace and furthering intercultural dialogue as an instrument for building trust and the prevention of tensions and crises;

15. Training and research activities;

16. Editorial and information activities (publications, websites, etc.);

Moreover, the Fondazione Mediterraneo carries out the following activities:

a – the direct organisation of events, whether such relate to conceiving, carrying out and organising initiatives directly from the Fondazione (Awards, Publications, Workshops, Seminars, Conferences, Concerts, Exhibitions, Training Courses at the Highest Level, etc.);

b – the co-organisation of events, together with external partners or members of the Networks of the foundation or other Networks that the Fondazione is a member of;

c – sponsorship of events organised by external partners or members of the Networks of the foundation or other Networks that the Fondazione is a member of;

d – carrying out wide-ranging projects autonomously and/or in answer to local and international calls for tender (among the projects carried out by the Fondazione, mention should be made of: Cinemamed, Medina, Medpride, Dialogo interculturale, Forum Civili Euromed, I and II Masters for the training of experts in community participatory planning and social mediation, Euromedcafé, Medpeace, etc.).

e – The Fondazione has created the Museum of Peace - MAMT, the emotional heritage of humanity.