Intiative of the Italian Episcopal Conference (CEI)
With an eye to the Mediterranean and its richness and complexity, the Italian Episcopal Conference (CEI) promoted a meeting for reflection and spirituality: “Mediterranean, Frontier of Peace” in February 2020. During the event that took place in Bari, CEI, together with Caritas Italiana, launched the ensuing project “Mediterranean, Frontier of Peace, Education and Reconciliation” (MED).
The initiative, developed by Rondine Cittadella della Pace, foresees high-level training for young people coming from Mediterranean countries characterized by situations of conflict, and political and social tensions, and aims to provide participants with the methodological and operational tools to intervene in rapidly changing and highly complex contexts, strengthening their strategic and leadership skills following the Rondine Method principles.
At the end of their training, the young professionals return to their countries of origin with a wide range of valuable transversal and relational skills. The acquired skills enable them to manage sociocultural changes underway, promote cooperation interventions and design peacebuilding initiatives with a high social impact.
In November 2021, the project was selected among the finalists at the Paris Peace Forum, an international event promoted by French President Emmanuel Macron.
So far, seven cultural, research and social impact projects have been developed during the first edition of MED in Bosnia Herzegovina, Lebanon, Palestine, and Syria.
The second edition, starting in April 2022, involves ten young professionals from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Lebanon, Tunisia, and Turkey. They will follow the training period in Rondine until June 2023 and then return to their countries of origin to start high-social impact projects.
Despite the challenging past year, we are pleased to have been able to come to Italy to work on our projects and show that coexistence and dialogue are possible. The projects that we will carry out in our countries upon our return aim at dialogue, reconciliation, and peace. We will continue to develop the network we created in Rondine of young people willing to promote social cohesion in the Mediterranean.
Amina, Bosnian
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OPERA SEGNO su iniziativa della Conferenza Episcopale Italiana
Discussione imparziale tra studenti e docenti sulla storia recente della Bosnia Erzegovina, per superare le divisioni indotte del passato.
Project by Amina Surkovic
Un progetto per amplificare le conoscenze digitale dei giovani palestinesi per trasformare le idee in progetti concreti.
Project by Nirmeen Odeh
Il progetto promuove l’importanza del dialogo interreligioso e collaborazione tra le comunità etniche e religiose di Bosnia Erzegovina.
Project by Nadezda Mojsilovic
La trasformazione della visione dell’avversario in un compagno di squadra tramite l’attività sportiva
Project by Majdi Abdallah
Aldo
23 years old
Albanian
Economy- Tourism
Youth Leadership Academy- Engaging active young people to acquire the skills needed to promote visions and ideas related to education and sustainable development.
Elie
27 years old
Middle eastern
Life Coaching
Youths For Common Good- Involved in our multicultural and diverse activities in Caritas, youths will become advocates for peace and humanity in their communities.
Kabalan
29 years old
Middle eastern
Administration and Finance
Youths For Common Good- Involved in our multicultural and diverse activities in Caritas, youths will become advocates for peace and humanity in their communities.
Graziella
22 years old
Middle eastern
Biochemistry
Youths For Common Good- Involved in our multicultural and diverse activities in Caritas, youths will become advocates for peace and humanity in their communities.
Janbert
23 years old
Turkish
Economy
Promoting initiatives for refugees
Ahmed
34 years old
Tunisian
Experimental Science
Sport for Integration & Social Cohesion
Firas
23 years old
Tunisian
Experimental Science
Sport for Integration & Social Cohesion
Teuta
30 years old
Bosnian
Engineering, English Language and Literature
War Childhood Museum - Install a multisensory exhibition through stories, objects, oral testimonies within the War Childhood Museum in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Ružica
Bosnian
Psicology
Peaceful cohesistence and Integration Provide adequate responses to the needs of migrants in Ušivak camp (Bosnia and Herzegovina) through the creation of activities to reduce tensions and work to improve dialogue with the local community.