Anna Lindh Foundation launches Euro-Mediterranean Schools Program on Cultural Diversity
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Alexandria, 21 September 2005—The Anna Lindh Euro-Mediterranean Foundation for the Dialogue between Cultures is launching its first educational program on Cultural Diversity. School networkers and other educational experts from 40 countries and six international organizations will meet in the Conference Center of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, 22-24 September 2005. The program"s main aim is to reach the largest possible number of young people and provide them with skills needed for participation in intercultural dialogue. It promotes universal values and school-to-school cooperation. The Foundation develops attractive learning and teaching resources in fields such as cultural diversity, cultural heritage, human rights and sustainable development.
Representatives of the European Commission, the Council of Europe, UNESCO, the Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organizations of the Arab League and the Organization of the Islamic Conference (ALECSO and ISESCO), the Danish Centre for Culture and Development (DCCD), together with experts and coordinators of European and Euro-Mediterranean schools programs and the national coordinators of the UNESCO Associated Schools project Network (ASPNet), will be among the 55 experts from 35 Euro Mediterranean and neighboring countries that will meet to discuss different views to implement this program.
The Euro-Mediterranean Schools network program aims essentially to
establish sustainable links and networking between schools and pupils, aged 12-18, from 35 Euro-Mediterranean and several neighboring countries within the UNESCO Associated Schools Project Network and existing Euro-Mediterranean schools programs as a starting point. In addition, it aims to develop innovative learning projects by a series of school twinning teams involving at least two schools from EU Member States and two schools from Mediterranean partner countries.
The opening ceremony will start at 9:30 am, Thursday, 22 September 2005 at the Oriental Hall, Bibliotheca Alexandrina Conference Center, with speeches by Dr. Traugott Schoefthaler, Executive Director of the Anna Lindh Euro-Mediterranean Foundation; Dr. Ismail Serageldin, Director of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina; Ambassador Klaus Ebermann, Head of the Delegation of the European Commission in Egypt; and representatives of UNESCO, the Council of Europe, ALECSO and ISESCO.
This program is based on the Rabat Commitment signed in June between international Organizations on concrete steps towards the dialogue between cultures (www.euromedalex.org).