The Board of Governors of the Anna Lindh Foundation, composed of the senior officials of the 43 countries of    the Union for the Mediterranean, met on the 30^th of June at Pedralbes Palace in Barcelona, home now to the headquarters of the Union. 

The agenda of the meeting focused on the work plan and budget of the Foundation’s triennial programme, which runs until November 2011, following revisions due to the status of national government contributions.

The Board of Governors approved unanimously a revised triennial budget presented by the institution’s Director, Andreu Claret, that ensures that the Foundation and its Networks can deliver key activities in its fields of action as well as launching a region-wide Call for Proposals this summer.  In addition, the Board approved support for Network Development in all 43 countries of the Partnership, and endorsed September’s launch of the Anna Lindh Report on Euro-Med Intercultural Trends. 

Speaking at the meeting in Barcelona, President Azoulay said: “It is our responsibility, particularly in times of socio-economic difficulty, to permanently stay alert to any regression in intercultural relations and attempts to instrumentalize our cultures and faiths in a political way,” adding that “We know and support the significant ongoing efforts of our civil societies in this regard as only they can create the basis for a real and human Union for the Mediterranean.”

Having secured the support of the Board of Governors, the headquarters of the Foundation are now preparing to launch in August 2010 a Call for Euro-Mediterranean Project Proposals on the theme of “cities, migration and coexistence” with the overarching aim of facilitating the action of civil society focused on addressing issues at the local and regional level which have been effected by the global economic crisis.