Youth and the Mediterranean

Conference in the framework of the research project New-Med.

The conference discussed topics such as climate change, radicalisation, state-society relations and the migrant and refugee crisis in the Mediterranean region. Convened within the framework of the IAI-led New-Med Research Network and held under the auspices of the Italian Chairmanship of the OSCE Mediterranean Contact Group, the event saw the participation of eight outstanding young scholars from the Middle East and North Africa.

Scholars were selected through a rigorous peer-reviewed application process and were paired with a number of expert discussants to encourage new ideas and approaches on dialogue and cooperation in the Mediterranean. Centred on the experiences and viewpoints of MENA youth, the event provided a valuable opportunity to debate these issues from the standpoint of both sides of the Mediterranean, allowing youth themselves to present new ideas and policy recommendations on how best to approach these challenges in an inclusive and sustainable manner.

Structured around four panel sessions, the one-day conference benefitted from the participation of young scholars from Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine and Tunisia. Each candidate addressed a specific theme tied to conflict, security and development in the Mediterranean, presenting his/her research while advancing a number of policy recommendations on how best to improve regional and international cooperation in the area.