Final Declaration
EURO MED CIVIL FORUM
Chania, 1-4 May 2003

We, members and representatives of the civil society of the Euromediterranean countries are assembled today in Crete discussing the dialogue between cultures in our region.

Crete is the largest island of Greece and after Sicily, Sardinia, Cyprus and Corsica, the largest in the Mediterranean. Its cultural development during the Aegean Bronze Age is comparable in artistic and material achievement with the contemporary civilizations of Mesopotamia and Egypt. Here is the origin of the Mycenaean art.
Nowadays one can find in Crete the influence of every part of the Mediterranean culture.

As the meeting-point between Asia, Africa and Europe, the Mediterranean has a unique history stretching back ten thousand years. No other region has seen so many different successive civilizations in such a relatively small area. As birthplace of religions, it was for a long time the centre of the known world.

The Mediterranean has acted as a crucible for fundamental philosophical and scientific discoveries. The strong sense of identity characterizing the peoples living around it have often sparked off wars, but the conflicts it has always experienced have never permanently prevented people from travelling or ideas from spreading.
Among the main principles established by the Barcelona Declaration, those regarding the cultural and human dimension of the Euro-Mediterranean process constitute a condition for an authentic and balanced partnership, as was underlined by the conferences of the ministers of culture of Bologna (April 1996) and of Rhodes (September 1998) and by the Stockholm workshop (April 1998) including the need for a better understanding and for mutual respect between cultures.

We, unions and formations of the civil society, believe that the general objective is to turn the Mediterranean basin into an area of dialogue, exchange and cooperation guaranteeing peace, stability and prosperity and to strengthen justice, participatory democracy and the respect for human rights and the rights of peoples, a balanced economic and social development, measures to combat poverty and to protect the environment. Nobody is obliged to belong to a religion or to declare one's religious affiliation or belief.

We believe in the strengthening of the participation of civil society in the decision-making process of the EMP (particularly the civil society in the south and the new member states), providing it with the necessary legal and practical means to act.

We believe that the plurality of cultures is one of the most precious assets of the Euromediterranean region to be safeguarded and preserved, as well as those assets that constitute the common heritage of humanity.

We firmly believe in the objectives and principles of the charter of the United Nations, the UNESCO Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity (Nov 2001) and the Olympic ideal of building a peaceful and better future by educating youth.

We agree that the dialogue between cultures and civilizations is an appropriate instrument to achieve constructive interaction and effective cooperation among nations and to fight fanaticism, intolerance, xenophobia and discrimination based on race, religion, ethnicity, language, gender, age and sexual orientation.

We agree to promote knowledge and mutual respect between the cultures, traditions and values, which exist in the partner countries.

We would like to see substantial efforts towards the identification and removal of the odds interfering with the process of a sincere intercultural dialogue and the existence and function ability of intercultural education and awareness.

We agree to support a free circulation of ideas and opinions in this dialogue. The freedom of expression of intellectuals and artists is inseparable and indivisible part of the rights of the human person; it should be guaranteed by the Signatory States of the Partnership, as it is a prerequisite for the realization of the dialogue.

We encourage the circulation of the actors of dialogue among cultures knowing that there is no true cultural partnership without human contact and direct exchange of people.

We consider the human sciences, arts, cultures and trade as sources of understanding societies and fields that facilitate cooperation.

We believe in the value and significance of the existing independent and non-governmental networks and organizations, active in different sectors of our societies that we call the civil society.

We believe it is very important to give credence to these institutions of the Euromediterranean society.

We believe that a Euromed Civil Forum defines a policy agenda by discussing issues of common concern and advocates for its adoption by the EMP governments.

We stress that our efforts and interventions concerning the exercise of intercultural dialogue focus on the following:
- The adoption of cultural policies in consultation with the cultural actors of the civil society.
- The promotion of education and the communication of cultures and know-how.
- The provision of the means for young people to strengthen their participation in the intercultural dialogue.
- The abolition of state or private monopoly and of any other form of censorship.
These conditions should be implemented by the relevant actors of the Partnership, be included in the agenda of the European Commission or be defined as relevant to the state responsibility.

We would like to see the cultural programmes of MEDA transparent and reinforced.

We insist on the protection, the preservation, the dissemination and the restitution, whenever harmed, of the cultural heritage and the traditions of the Euromediterranean countries, as well as the orientation of the education of young people towards the above aims, as means to avoid the repetition of vandalisms of the global cultural treasures, like those occurred during the bombings and occupation of Iraq and by the Taliban in Afghanistan.

We are in particular committed to see the precious and common for the entire Mediterranean archaeological and architectural heritage protected, preserved, revived and made functional creatively. This architecture based on stone and wood, the principle of recycling and soft forms of energy constitutes a significant element of the way of life of the area and of its sustainability.

We believe that work should be done towards raising awareness of the whole society of the Euromediterranean countries -through educational and exchange programs or the role of the mass media- on the serious problems confronted by our region, such as the immigration, the condition of refugees, women, children, vulnerable social groups, the political instability and corruption, poverty, as well as the environmental degradation. Moreover all countries of the region should immediately adhere to certain relevant regional agreements, conventions and programs, so that the sustainable development of the Euromediterranean region is achieved.

We highlight the importance of the role of women who should be empowered and trained following the 1325 Resolution and the Resolution of the 5th Ministerial Meeting in Skopje earlier this year. Women not only as victims but also as participants in peace building and as instruments of change should be empowered and introduced into positions where negotiations at the higher level take place.

We underline the important role that youth NGOs can play in order to contribute in the multicultural dialogue and in the peaceful coexistence in the area. We urge the relevant institutions to assume the responsibility to reinforce and support in a stronger way the youth programmes of cultural exchanges, the youth conferences on conflict management and international affairs.

We stress the need for a participatory process in the preparation of the Civil Forum and we are very much concerned about the lack of continuity in the process as well as the recommendations regarding critical issues not being considered by the member states.

The Working Group on the Dialogue of Cultures additionally suggests that the exchanges and the cultural dialogue can be created in a concrete and positive manner based on projects like the ones presented by the participating organizations: the elaboration of common social norms inside the activities of the trade unions, the Thessaloniki Festival of Women Creators from the two Coasts of the Mediterranean and Black Sea, of the creation of music festivals, the Academy of Tastes of the Mediterranean, etc. We call on the EU to ensure that new measures are developed in support of such cultural co-operation and participation throughout the whole of the Mediterranean.

The Working Group on Dialogue of Religions further underscores that interfaith dialogue at all levels, democratic management of religious pluralism and justice in international relations should be strengthened and intensified, in order to promote the mutual understanding necessary to sustain peaceful co-existence. It also stresses that all forms of violence in the name of religion are condemned; that all religions are called to fulfil their practices with respect to human rights; that all religious institutions and interfaith organizations are called to strengthen their cooperation and promote respect of shared public space; that schools (curricula, books, educators) should provide adequate and reliable information about religions and encourage a spirit of mutual respect; that the religious heritage throughout the region should be preserved and strengthened.

The Working Group on Intercultural Education moreover highlights the absolute need of the establishment of a Monitor that will deal with matters of education and culture.

The Working Group on Peaceful Solutions, Intercultural Dialogue and Coexistence in Conflict Areas heard direct reports from peace workers in Cyprus of the momentous movement across the Green Line of people, following the easing of restrictions, revisiting villages they had known many years ago in their youth. We were pleased with measures from both sides that have created a very positive climate of reconciliation among the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities. We call upon the leaders to resume negotiations and arrive at a political settlement that will support the change already happening at the grass root level.
These changes gave heart to all peacemaking NGO's at the workshop who continue to play an important civil society role, even at the darkest moments in conflict situations, to maintain hope and build capacity for peace. Participants heard each other's stories of what it is like to work with the tears and pain of groups, villages and ethnic communities when they connect people across the conflict divide in Cyprus, the Middle East, the Balkans, Northern Ireland and the Basque region. We are redoubling our efforts to encourage our agencies to deepen the dialogue and put in place concrete projects that engage people from all sides. Many of these need not be controversial and include business, environmental, artistic and sporting activities. Other cross-community projects will remain difficult because of the political imbalance of power and will require external assistance from NGO's to bring parties together in dialogue.

We call on the EU and our national governments to support this emerging conflict prevention work by civil society agencies and deepen the penetration of the peace process on the ground. Special efforts must continue to empower women and youth in these processes because too often they are invisible and we need to put the spotlight on their contributions. There is also a need for skills training and education to strengthen civil society and build capacity in the new countries entering the EU, the Turkish Cypriots and the special situation of Iraq.

We ask the EuroMed ministerial conference to be held in Chania on the 28th May and the national governments for stronger efforts to achieve just and comprehensive peace and security in the region.

We denounce Bush's hegemonic policies that are leading to increasing confrontation the world over, particularly in our Mediterranean area.

We confirm our commitment for the peaceful resolution of the conflict between Israel and Palestine.

We ask for the withdrawal of Israel from the Palestinian, Syrian and Lebanese territories and the application of the relevant UN resolutions and the respect of the right of all peoples in the region to peace, security and democracy.

We firmly believe that the war against and the occupation of Iraq, where thousands of tons of mass destruction bombs were dropped was illegal and illegitimate since it was launched in breach of the UN rules and International law and was overwhelmingly condemned.

We ask for the immediate withdrawal of the occupying Anglo-American forces from Iraq, and their non-interference in the country's internal affairs.

The UN must play the central role in the process of transition towards a democratic, sovereign and pluralistic Iraq and also in its reconstruction, which requires the full participation of all the Iraqi people including civil society organizations.

NOTE: The Mediation Centre Northern Ireland despite its participation to the Forum, abstains from the ratification of the above resolution.