On 10 December, the ENI CBC Med Programme and the office of Europe Direct in Valencia (Spain) organized a debate between young people from both shores of the Mediterranean to reflect on how to “Build the future of Europe with our Mediterranean neighbours”.
Up to 42 people participated in this online event which started with an overview on the European Neighbourhood Policy presented by the coordinator of the ENI CBC Med Branch Office in Valencia, Mr. Vincent Ernoux. Then a quiz was launched to test participants’ knowledge of the Euro-Mediterranean region. This was followed by a debate between Helena and Pablo, two young people from Valencia with three neighbours from the Southern Mediterranean: Wael (Egypt), Rym (Tunisia) and Aya (Jordan).

Helena, Pablo, Wael, Rym and Aya dream of a future of peace, societies in which citizens live with more social justice, more dignity and more solidarity. They dream of seeing this region shining again as it was before: an area of cultural and commercial exchanges with historical ties that unite much more than they divide.
According to them, addressing youth unemployment, promoting gender equality and fighting against climate change were among the most relevant cooperation priorities between Europe and its southern neighbours.
During the debate, participants agreed that ignorance and prejudice were among the biggest barriers to overcome in order to foster mutual understanding among people from the Mediterranean.

The EU-funded ENI CBC Mediterranean Sea Basin Programme 2014-2020 offers cooperation opportunities between partners from the Mediterranean area in fields of intervention such as economic development, education and research, social inclusion and environmental protection.

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Press Release

ENI CBC Med – Cooperating across borders in the Mediterranean