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A SPACE FOR PROGRESS
It has taken almost ten years to make a dream come true, namely
to restore to the Mediterranean its central role, through the
creation of the Maison de la Mediterranée
as the Home of dialogue between the societies and cultures of
the Mediterranean.
This institute has been strongly wished for by the Fondazione
Laboratorio Mediterraneo and by the Academy of the Mediterranean.
It has benefited from funding by the Regione Camapania and constitutes
a point where the capacity to interrelate is met by a sense of
solidarity and responsibility, and where the shared common positions
between different cultures can be developed and expanded in a
context of mutual understanding.
The capacity to interrelate is in fact what, in the era of global
real time, makes possible the existence of this space that stands
in contrast to the state of permanent war, and which through the
re-evaluation of relations between the developed world and the
poor countries, can offer freedom of choice and political action
to all, for the enactment of democracy and universal rights.
The Maison represents a space that allows the practice of coherence
and sense of connectedness and which, by mediating between contrasting
elements can bring about shared initiatives. It acts as a means
for the reappraisal of policy and the development of a new concept
of community that is free from national cartography, and is not
confined to the distinctions of identity. It works for the construction
of an environment that expresses the fundamental rights of citizenship
for men and women and the primary role of interface and solidarity.
La Maison de la Meditérranée :
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promotes dialogue between cultures and societies
in the Euro-Mediterranean area, in accordance with and in support
of the Congress of Barcelona;
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advocates the principles of solidarity for
the understanding and respect of diversities;
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Elaborates shared objectives and carries them
out in contexts that are socially and culturally different;
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acts for the promotion of dialogue and exchanges
between civil Societies, local communities and the economic
sector.
There have been numerous statements that
support the work of the Maison de la Méditerranée,
among which the following:
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The General Assembly of the United Nations,
which through resolution no. 217A dated 9th November 2001, requested
the States to support the initiatives of Civil Society and NGOs
in the dialogue between cultures (art. B.3) and invited international
and regional organisations to promote dialogue and reciprocal
understanding between them, and to report on such activities
to the Secretary General of the United Nations.
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In a message by the President of the Italian
Republic, Carlo Azeglio Ciampi expressed his “great appreciation
for the high objectives pursued by the Maison de la Méditerranée.
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The President of the European Commission, Romano
Prodi, has stated that “the establishment of La Maison
de la Méditerranée constitutes a great hope and
contributes to the greater project for peace and prosperity
for the peoples of the Mediterranean.
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His Holiness Pope John Paul II, during his
recent visit to Ischia, invoked concrete initiatives for dialogue
for the promotion of peace, with particular reference to today’s
Middle East.
- Prince El Hassan Bin Talal of Jordan has reiterated the need
for a common mentality for the removal of poverty, racism, terrorism,
inequality, hatred and intolerance.
In Campania there are many traces of a fertile Mediterranean in
which diversity constitutes wealth in the form of artistic, cultural
and linguistic and artisan traditions that have contributed to the
rich and varied beauty of these places.
Today, through the new role of the Regional authorities, this
central role takes on a social and political character. It is
increasingly necessary to build links of an ethical nature at
both a local and a global level. Faith in one’s community
and its human potential is what constitutes the heritage that
mankind needs to preserve and protect.
Hence today the heritage of the “New Europe” is increasingly,
not only the history of the past, but also the ability to look
hopefully to the future.
This is an approach that concurs with the respect of cultural
and linguistic diversity and a true dialogue between societies
and cultures. However, it is not a utopia, but a political, economic
and socio-cultural challenge for us all. Technological changes,
economic and financial globalisation and the instant transmission
of information have plunged mankind towards common destinies.
Does this mean a common destiny? No doubt, in the long run. As
evidence we see the increase of inequality and poverty in the
world; a numerical discrimination that has been established between
the possessors of information and the others! Further proof is
constituted by the hegemony of some powers over rules of conduct
and decisions that involve the future on a planetary scale.
The Maison de la Méditerranée,
has offices and bureaux in the various Euro-Mediterranean countries
and the support of all the institutions and organisations that
have become a part of it. With its fully operational multi-medial
premises, it represents an indispensable means for the rising
to this challenge.
Therefore, with reference to the 1995 Congress of Barcelona, which
proposed the promotion of intercultural dialogue in the Euro-Mediterranean
area through the establishment by the year 2010 of a zone of free
exchange, and by following the specific guidelines of the V Euro-Mediterranean
Congress held at Valencia of 22-23 April, 2002, the Maison de
la Méditerranée intends to visibly enact the Barcelona
Process through exchanges between civil, cultural and intellectual
Societies. The Maison also operates through the “Mediterranean
network for dialogue between cultures” set up by the Fondazione
Laboratorio Mediterraneo and the Independent Institutes. Its bureaux
and offices are in operation in the Euro-Mediterranean countries.
These resources give the Maison a potential that is not only physical
but also that of global interconnection for the promotion of dialogue,
peace and sustainable growth in the Euro-Mediterranean area.
The Maison de la Méditerranée operates
with a horizontal organisational networking modality and carries
out projects in which its partners are themselves actively involved
. In this way the projects are reinforced by making them belong
to all parties involved. The Maison constitutes an organism that
in virtue of its objectives is made available to Euro-Mediterranean
partnerships.
Among the tributes paid to The Maison de la Méditerranée
we note the following :
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The Italian Parliament, which is keenly aware
of the role that Italy could play in partnership processes,
has recently passed a law in support of the initial activities
of The Maison de la Méditerranée (Law no. 111,
dated 12-6-2002).
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The Ministry for Foreign Affairs of the Italian
Republic sees support for The Maison de la Méditerranée
as a priority for the internationalisation of the areas of the
South of Italy, and as a key element in the “Euro-Mediterranean
Foundation” currently being formed.
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The Ministry for Cultural Heritage and Activities
recognises the Mediterranean Laboratory Foundation as a Euro-Mediterranean
network”, among the national organisations acting for
the promotion of dialogue between cultures and societies, and
for the appreciation of the cultural heritage.
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The Regione Campania (in motion no. 5762 dated
12-6-2002) of its Regional Operational Plan has specified the
resources, which (through a special Project managed and integrated
at Regional level), are required for the support of the Academy
of the Mediterranean-Maison de la Méditerranée,
its Central Offices in Naples and the offices that are already
in operation in Campania. It has also nominated the Maison as
a candidate for the central coordination of the “Fondazione
Euro-Mediterranea” currently being constituted.
The Maison de la Méditerranée plans to
act as host for many initiatives during the course of 2003, among
which:
The organisation of the Euromed Civil Forum 2003 in Naples and
in Campania which, during the second half of the year, will continue
in the steps of the similar one that took place in 1997. This
earlier one saw the participation of 2,248 representatives from
36 countries and the presentation of 86 projects, among which
that of the Maison de la Méditerranée itself. The
new “Forum” will concentrate on linking Civil Society
and Institutions, and comprise an agenda of international seminars
on specific themes, timed throughout the Italian Presidency of
the European Union; it will end with a final meeting for proposals
and recapitulation.
Michele Capasso
General Director of The Academy of the Mediterranean- Maison de
la Méditerranée
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Michele Capasso
General Director |