Youth4Med Forum – Together for the Mediterranean

The Mediterranean Sea not only influences the weather but also mitigates the worst effects of climate change by absorbing, moving and storing heat and carbon and its role is thus not to be underestimated. The youth will be essential to support climate change adaptation and the ecological transition in the Med, and to bring the ocean higher on the political agenda at all levels. Young changemakers are already leaders in many of their communities and are at the forefront of movements to preserve the ocean and combat climate change. Mobilising the youth, building dialogue, improving (learning) capacities and collaboration at eye-level between generations is thus an important step to tackle the current and future challenges of our Mediterranean societies.

How exactly can youth action and contributions look like in the Mediterranean? What is the youth’s role in the big picture of strengthening Mediterranean ocean literacy alongside other organisations, actors and changemakers? How can young professionals help to unite ocean literacy efforts across the Mediterranean Sea basin and build on its rich Mediterranean diversity?

As part of the #EU4Ocean Mediterranean Ocean Literacy event*, we are organising a Youth4Med forum, an interactive two-day online event, taking place on September 26 and 27, 2021.

During these two days, you will have the opportunity to exchange and connect with inspiring Mediterranean young changemakers, and to work side-by-side with Mediterranean institutions, organisations and professionals (see the detailed agenda below).

Together for the Mediterranean, we will:

• Define your visions and principles to guide youth actions to make the Mediterranean blue and resilient
• Translate this vision into a collective virtual art piece
• Build links to other ocean literacy initiatives (be it the ‘’Parlement Méditerranéen de la Mer’’ organised by the Forum de la Mer, organisations interested in the development of a Mediterranean Ocean Literacy Coalition or participants at the EU4Ocean high-level policy event)

Join the wave!  

Are you between 16 and 35 years old? Are you from a Mediterranean EU or non-EU country?** Do you want to join our discussions and concrete ocean literacy development on eye level?

Let all Mediterranean voices be heard! The developed output including the principles for youth action toward a blue and resilient Mediterranean shall furthermore directly feed into the state of the ocean & climate document ‘Roadmap to ocean & climate actions’, Milan Youth pre-COP and Glaswegian COP recommendations, as well as the virtual ocean pavilion featuring youth actions organised by the World Ocean Network.

Youth4Med Forum Agenda

24^th September: First waves

• 16.00 – 17.30 CEST          Opening of the ‘Let’s make the Mediterranean blue!’ event

Including a contribution to the ’Parlement Méditerranéen de la Mer’ organised by the Forum de la Mer

26^th September: Shaping our Mediterranean Sea

• 09.30 – 10.30 CEST          Official Youth4Med kick-off

Short presentation of the Youth4Med forum, its contribution to making the Mediterranean blue and online quiz organised by Sulitest with interactive meet & greet of all participants

• 10.30 – 12.30 CEST          Working session I: Sharing perspectives 

Strategic reflection on how the youth can be part in making the Mediterranean blue, the place of the youth in the Mediterranean Ocean Literacy Coalition & the link between climate change and ocean literacy. This session will be co-facilitated by Anna Marino from Youth and Environment Europe (YEE). 

Lunch 12.30 – 14.00 CEST

• 14.00 – 15.00 CEST          Building together a collective virtual art piece Make the MED blue

Collective art exercise to express together a way how to Make the  MED blue.

• 15.00 – 17.30 CEST          Working session II: Principles for a blue & resilient Mediterranean

Elaboration of principles & consultation and lessons learned from other initiatives and Mediterranean actors. This session will be co-facilitated by Giuseppe Scandone from Mediterranean Youth for Water (MedYWat).

27^th September: Sailing forward

• 09.30 – 11.30 CEST           Working session III: Preparing recommendations & outputs

Preparing outputs which shall feed into the state of the ocean & climate document ‘Roadmap to ocean & climate actions’.

• 14.00 – 14.00 CEST            High-level event: Strengthening Ocean Literacy to support an effective      

Marine Knowledge System in the Mediterranean Sea      

Contributions and short virtual presentation of the representatives of the Youth4Med Forum – sharing results and key messages

• 16.15 – 17h45 CEST           Closing: Looking back and sailing forward

Including steps forward proposed by the Youth4Med Forum results and steps forward by two participants

*EU4Ocean is a project funded by the European Commission and implemented by a consortium of 12 partners across Europe.

**Albania, Algeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, France, Greece, Israel, Italy, Lebanon, Libya, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Morocco, Palestine, Slovenia, Spain, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey