Board
President: Andreas GUIDI
Co-President: Maria MANTIKOU
Co-President: Alexia ROBERTSON
Brief description
The Union for the Mediterranean had been institutionalized by the Ministerial Summit, held in Marseille, France in 2008. The Ministers of Foreign Affairs decided to establish a Co-Presidency, a Joint Permanent Committee (comprised of diplomats from all member states) and a Secretariat. There is also a group of Senior Officials (mandated by the Foreign Ministers), who prepare the Ministerial Summits. The Ministerial Summits, along with the Senior Officials, undertake the necessary preparations for the bi-annual Summits of Heads of State and Government.
The states around the Mediterranean have achieved (through the Union and with the participation of the entire European Union) a reasonable minimum of political stability, freedom and pluralism. As they seek to enhance what has already been achieved, they also try to coordinate their policies in order to implement a sound macro-economic policy, which could inspire confidence among both domestic and foreign investors. Moreover, the Union focuses on protecting the environment and the maritime passages. Last but not least, the Union for the Mediterranean promotes the intercultural dialogue and seeks to strengthen the network of inter-state relations of civil societies.
From a more technical aspect, in a Ministerial Summit, each member state has one representative and one vote. The Council formed by the Ministers is being moderated by an Honorary President and the two Co-Presidents. Apart from the Ministers, the Council join observers (with debating and not voting rights) from neighboring states and IGOs and NGOs, depending on the issue at hand; Libya being a permanent observer.
Summit Meetings are summoned whenever issues of vital importance have to be addressed. Items discussed and decisions taken at meetings of the Council cover all aspects of the Union's activities and are frequently based on reports and recommendations prepared by subordinate committees at the Council's request. Equally, subjects may be raised by any one of the national representatives or by the Co-Presidents. Ministers inform and explain the views and policy decisions of their governments to their colleagues round the table. Conversely they report back to their governments on the views expressed and positions taken by other governments, informing them of new developments and keeping them abreast of movement towards consensus on important issues or areas where national positions diverge. Decisions are being made under Unanimity and Common Accord.
Documentation
Agenda
Topic Area A: Making cultural diversity visible in the urban space:
empowering individuals with migrant background as agents for intercultural dialogue in the Euro-Med societies
Crisis Simulation
President: Andreas GUIDI
Co-President: Maria MANTIKOU
Co-President: Alexia ROBERTSON
Brief description
The Union for the Mediterranean had been institutionalized by the Ministerial Summit, held in Marseille, France in 2008. The Ministers of Foreign Affairs decided to establish a Co-Presidency, a Joint Permanent Committee (comprised of diplomats from all member states) and a Secretariat. There is also a group of Senior Officials (mandated by the Foreign Ministers), who prepare the Ministerial Summits. The Ministerial Summits, along with the Senior Officials, undertake the necessary preparations for the bi-annual Summits of Heads of State and Government.
The states around the Mediterranean have achieved (through the Union and with the participation of the entire European Union) a reasonable minimum of political stability, freedom and pluralism. As they seek to enhance what has already been achieved, they also try to coordinate their policies in order to implement a sound macro-economic policy, which could inspire confidence among both domestic and foreign investors. Moreover, the Union focuses on protecting the environment and the maritime passages. Last but not least, the Union for the Mediterranean promotes the intercultural dialogue and seeks to strengthen the network of inter-state relations of civil societies.
From a more technical aspect, in a Ministerial Summit, each member state has one representative and one vote. The Council formed by the Ministers is being moderated by an Honorary President and the two Co-Presidents. Apart from the Ministers, the Council join observers (with debating and not voting rights) from neighboring states and IGOs and NGOs, depending on the issue at hand; Libya being a permanent observer.
Summit Meetings are summoned whenever issues of vital importance have to be addressed. Items discussed and decisions taken at meetings of the Council cover all aspects of the Union's activities and are frequently based on reports and recommendations prepared by subordinate committees at the Council's request. Equally, subjects may be raised by any one of the national representatives or by the Co-Presidents. Ministers inform and explain the views and policy decisions of their governments to their colleagues round the table. Conversely they report back to their governments on the views expressed and positions taken by other governments, informing them of new developments and keeping them abreast of movement towards consensus on important issues or areas where national positions diverge. Decisions are being made under Unanimity and Common Accord.
Documentation
- Rules Applying to the Council of Ministers for the Ministerial Summit of the Union for the Mediterranean
- Guidelines for Union for the Mediterranean Ministerial Declaration Writing
Agenda
Topic Area A: Making cultural diversity visible in the urban space:
empowering individuals with migrant background as agents for intercultural dialogue in the Euro-Med societies
Cultural diversity is the greatest heritage belonging to the Euro-Med region. The efforts put in defining the path towards mutual cultural, ethnic and religious understanding might appear evanescent if compared to the recurring episodes of racism and religious hatred in the whole Euro-Med region. One of the reasons to explain this lies in the lack of empowerment of people with a migrant origin to act as effective agents of dialogue.Topic Area B: The current political situation in the Mediterranean
Additionally, migratory flows also have an impact on the migrant’s community of origin. To improve the situation, knowledge of the migrant communities about their countries of origin and their capacity to share information with the rest of society must be enhanced, as well as challenging stereotypes and stimulating the interest and openness in the origin and the host societies.
Following the ALF proposals, it is necessary to make the dimension of cultural diversity more visible especially in the urban frame, where the conflict potential is as high as the opportunities for sharing space, knowledge and spirituality. An integrated urban policy for the promotion of a culture of pluralism, respect and exchange will only be successful if key stakeholders from municipalities to educational institutions and non-governmental organizations coordinate together their action. The challenge is to prevent segregation in suburbs characterized by a high concentration of families with migration background and at the same time to give access to a plural cultural dimension out to rural areas.
Study Guide
Crisis Simulation
The simulated Union for the Mediterranean Summit held in Rhodes, October 2011, is going to deal with the ongoing situation in the Mediterranean, following the Arabic uprising and the recent developments in the Palestinian Matter. During the Summit, various incidents will disturb the balances and will produce new unexpected situations that the young diplomats will have to cope with and reach an agreement.
