Diba | Peaceful and sustainable development of the Mediterranean
This November has been marked by numerous events related to the 30th anniversary of the “Barcelona Process”, a regional partnership for peace and stability, which led to the creation of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM). The Barcelona Provincial Council has actively participated in them, highlighting the importance of local actors for the peaceful and sustainable development of the Mediterranean area.
In the context of the X Regional Forum of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) and the 30th anniversary of the Barcelona Process, the Provincial Council has been part of the entities that have promoted the organization of various events that have made it possible to highlight the importance of local governments in addressing the great economic, social and environmental challenges faced by the convulsive Mediterranean environment.
Through the Directorate of International Relations, the Provincial Council has supported the organization of the Barcelona+30 Mediterranean Cities Conference: empowering local action for regional transformation, promoted by the MedCities network, the Barcelona City Council, the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona, the UfM and the European Institute of the Mediterranean (IEMed). The aim of this event, which took place between 26 and 27 November, was to provide a space for reflection on the three decades of the Barcelona Process, its repercussions, and future ways to revitalise the role of local authorities in Euro-Mediterranean cooperation and dialogue.
The sixth vice president and deputy delegate for International Relations and 2030 Agenda, Maria Eugènia Gay, has intervened in the opening act and in the closing of the Conference. The event was also attended by the European Commissioner for the Mediterranean, Dubravka Šuica.
Euro-Mediterranean programmes and alliances
On the other hand, on November 26, the annual General Assembly of MedCities was held, of which the Provincial Council is an observer member. The session ended with the adoption of a Declaration in favour of local governance as an essential lever for sustainable and inclusive development in the Mediterranean.
Also on November 26, the Provincial Council participated in the Euro-Mediterranean Conference of Civil Society 2025 organized by the IEMed, the UfM and the Generalitat de Catalunya, with the support of the European Commission. This meeting of representatives of networks, Euro-Mediterranean programmes and alliances, and institutional partners, has involved thematic sessions and participatory workshops to debate on the evolution of the role of civil society in Euro-Mediterranean governance, and on new forms of cooperation within the framework of the EU’s New Mediterranean Pact.
(Picture: Government of Catalonia)