The FCV hosted on 26th February at the Casa del Mar, in Barcelona, the international meeting of the Foundation for South-North Mediterranean Dialogue (Fondation Dialogue Sud- Nord Mediterranée), entity based in Belgium, that brings together entities decided to favor collaboration and dialogue between both shores of the Mediterranean since 2006. At the meeting representatives of the Foundation (Mr Henrik Kröner, vice-president), the Réseau Algérie pour le dialogue Sud Nord Méditerranée, (Mrs Yasmina Taya) and l’Association Culturelle pour le Développement et l’Épouisement de la Jeunesse Algérienne-ACDEJA (Mr Omar Tadjadit) took part.
This Foundation organizes, every 3 years, a meeting, taking place the previous ones in Algiers, Alicante, Tunisia and Milan.
On this occasion, a small group of university professors, journalists, lawyers, students, project technicians and volunteers of Algerian, Spanish, Dutch, Syrian and French nationality, representatives of civil society organizations participated. The aim was opening a dialogue outside of state structures to create new relationships of collaboration and exchange, based on the willingness to work together to promote non-formal and peer learning, the participation of young people in civil society and the promotion of the culture of peace.
The two topics on the agenda were:
– “Dialogue and cooperation between civil societies on both sides”, presented by Omar Tadjadit and Lluc Martí.
– “Dialogue and economic cooperation” presented by Yasmina Taya and Malika Zedjaoui (both representatives of the Dialogue Network of Algeria).
Lluc welcomed the group with the curious fact (unknown to many people) that Algiers is the capital of a neighboring country closest to Barcelona (only 45 minutes by plane) and that, despite this, there is a great lack of knowledge about the Algerian reality from Catalonia.
Omar, from his side, recalled examples of collaboration between entities from Algeria and Catalonia, during contact seminars and youth exchanges, and how they served to bring together young people and Catalan and Algerian leaders.
During the meeting, proposals were exchanged for new exchanges and meetings for young people and an upcoming South-North dialogue meeting at the end of 2018 in Algeria.