On the first day of the Forum, the 43 Senior Officials which constitutes the Board of Governors of the Anna Lindh Foundation, will meet for the first time with the 43 Heads of the Foundation National Networks and the 18 members of the Advisory Council.

Ambassador Veronika Stabej, President of the Anna Lindh Board of Governors,
speaks about the importance of such a meeting and the necessity to reinforce the role of civil societies in deepening and extending the Union for the Mediterranean.

“From the very beginning of the launching of the Barcelona Process, civil society played a crucial role in developing a human dimension of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership. That role is of utmost importance today, when we need more than ever to improve the mutual respect between the societies living in the Euromed Region.

The best way to promote dialogue, to change stereotyped perceptions and to work for creating a common space based on shared values is to bring together people of different origins, cultures and beliefs. That is the main goal of the Anna Lindh Foundation, through the daily activities of its National Networks. Civil society can easily extend information and spread awareness on pertinent issues that touch the daily lives of people.

Moreover, it is through civil society activists that governments can have a real barometer of people’s aspirations as well as grievances. Based on this conviction, the Anna Lindh Board of Governors, composed of 43 ambassadors of member countries of the Union for the Mediterranean, gave its full support to this unique initiative of the Anna Lindh Forum 2010 which will take place in Barcelona next March.

While seeing the progress made by the Anna Lindh Foundation since its creation, the Board decided in its last meeting to back the celebration of the Forum and its members will attend the event which will give us the possibility of knowing better the wishes and the needs of the Networks of the Foundation.

I am convinced that the Anna Lindh Forum will be an excellent meeting point for both the political and the civil society, allowing the 43 ambassadors of the Board to have an authentic insight into the work of over 500 civil society organisations, as well as all the efforts they deploy in order to promote intercultural dialogue within and among the societies of the region.
Veronika Stabej