Held in Reggio Calabria from 12 to 15 June and organised by the Réseau Jeunesses Med with the support of the REF – Réseau Euromed France in close collaboration with Mana Chuma Teatro, the Med Youth Meeting brought together about 80 young people from 17 different Mediterranean countries. Here is a wrap up of these four very intense days that we are delighted to share with you.
DAY 1
The meeting kicked-off at the Università degli Studi Mediterranea di Reggio Calabria in the presence of Rector Giuseppe Zimbalatti and the representatives of the co-organisers Marion Isvi Executive Director of the REF, Laetitia El Haddad Coordinator of the Réseau Jeunesses Med – Med Youth Network – شبكة شباب المتوسط, Massimo Barilla, Artistic Director of Mana Chuma Teatro and Elizabeth GRECH, International Relationsand Communications Manager, Mana Chuma Teatro.
During this first day, the first workshops allowed the participants to get better acquainted with each other. In the afternoon, Eliana Iorfida and Francesco Gallelli of the Association Agartha gave a performative presentation on the city of Reggio Calabria and the region, an the Museo Archeologico Nazionale Di Reggio Calabria MArRC. The participants then had the opportunity to discover the rich Calabrian archaeological heritage during their visit of this prestigious museum. We thank Director Fabrizio Sudano and his team for their collaboration.
DAY 2
In the morning the young women and men formed different thematic groups and visited local civil society organisations to discuss their work, the challenges they are faced with but also their potential development. They were warmly welcomed by Abakhi, Agape, Arci-Samarcanda Ecolandia and Mana Chuma Teatro.
In the afternoon, they went on an excursion to Palmi, a city on the Tyrrhenian coast. In collaboration with the Municipality of Palmi an encounter with local civil society organisations active on the territory was organised at the Casa della Cultura. The participants were able to engage in an exchange with representatives of the organisation Mediterranean Hope who presented their projects.
After a short walk in the city at sunset, they were then invited to see “Come un Granello di sabbia / Like a Little Grain of Sand”, by Salvatore Arena and Massimo Barilla, with Salvatore Arena, a Mana Chuma Production.
DAY 3
At the Università degli Studi Mediterranea di Reggio Calabriain the morning and early afternoon, the young participants were divided into thematic groups – freedom of expression and creation, social and climate justice, access to employment and training, youth mobility and migration in the Mediterranean, citizen participation. This has allowed them to take the floor in order to share their experiences, give voice to their concerns but also discuss the potential solutions with their peers.
Late afternoon, a debate entitled “The Situation of Young People in the Mediterranean: Between Challenges of Emancipation and Obstacles to Mobility” was held at the Aula Magna Ludovico Quaroni of the same University. Participants coming from countries of all Mediterranean shores were able to give voice to the challenges they face due to administrative, geographical, political, socio-economic barriers to their circulation in the region.
DAY 4
In the morning the young people participating to the encounter were divided into three different groups to record three podcasts on specific themes: obstacles to young people’s mobility in the Mediterranean, obstacles to young people’s mobility in Italy, positive experiences of mobility in the Mediterranean (international volunteering, university exchanges etc.).
In the afternoon they took the road to Bova, a beautiful village hanging on the Aspromonte mountains overlooking the Strait of Messina on the Ionic coast. There, they visited the Cooperativa San Leo to achieve a better understanding of the work carried out in the fields of sustainable tourism, local and rural development. The closing ceremony was then held at the Spazio cultura del centro storico di Bova. This was followed by a delicious tasting of the local gastronomy. Last but not least, a concert of traditional music by band Sonu Raru took place in the festive atmosphere of the village square!
Photos by Marco Costantino
Videographers, Living Camera
Warm thanks also to our interpreters: Claudia Vettore and Flaminia Munafò
