Euro-Mediterranean governments unanimously invite President André Azoulay and the Foundation’s Executive Director, Andreu Claret, to assume a new 3 year mandate

Krakow, 22 October 2011:Taking place in the framework of the Polish Presidency of the European Union, the Board of Governors of the Anna Lindh Foundation convened today in Krakow. The Meeting of the Board, which is composed of the 43 Senior Officials and Ambassadors of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership, focused on the preparation of the Foundation's next phase of programme operation, in particular the role of the Foundation in responding to the historic Arab Spring and democratic reform in the Southern Mediterranean region.

The Meeting was also the occasion to formally announce a renewal of the mandates of the President and the Executive Director of the Anna Lindh Foundation for the next phase of operation (2012 to 2014), in recognition of the Foundation's positive achievements during the last years and the consolidation of its role as the institution for intercultural dialogue in the Euro-Mediterranean space. In their capacities as co-presidents of the Union for the Mediterranean, the representatives of Egypt and France underlined the common support for the ‘Dream Team’ of André Azoulay, first President of the Foundation and Counselor to the King of Morocco, and the Executive Director of the Foundation, Andreu Claret.

The  renewal of the 3 year term of the leadership of the Anna Lindh Foundation was unanimously proposed by all Board representatives, including the European Union and its Southern and Eastern Mediterranean partners: Albania, Algeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Egypt, Jordan, Israel, Lebanon, Mauritania, Montenegro, Morocco, Palestine, Syria, Tunisia and Turkey; the Arab League and European Union also participated to the Meeting.

Ambassador Veronika Stabej, Chairperson of the Board of Governors, said: "We are all very proud of what the Foundation has achieved over the last years, including its action during the past months in response to the historic changes in the region. Today’s decision of the Board is also a recognition of the achievements of the different stakeholders of the Foundation, in particular the work of the staff at the Secretariat in Alexandria and the National Networks in each of our countries."

Speaking at the Meeting in Krakow, President Azoulay stated: "It is an enormous privilege to be invited by the Euro-Mediterranean governments to build on what we have achieved together and ensure that the Foundation continues to assume a central role in the new and emerging Mediterranean landscape.”

Underlining to the Board of Governors of the importance of the Foundation’s region-wide Network of more than 4000 NGOs and civil society groups, President Azoulay added: “I am personally committed to continuing to prioritize through this renewed mandate the mobilization of civil societies across the two shores of the Mediterranean in favour of co-responibility and mutual understanding, and against all forms of discrimination and exclusion. History is knocking at our doors and we have an important rendez-vous, built on the common values we share, which we cannot afford to miss.”

President Azoulay concluded his intervention by saying: “In looking across the emerging Mediterranean landscape, I think particularly of Palestine and the speech of President Abou Mazen at the United Nations, an intervention which invited the UN community to a meeting point for peace built on equality, justice and freedom shared by all.”

The Krakow Meeting of the Board of Governors was planned to coincide with the 10th Meeting of the Heads of National Network of the Anna Lindh Foundation, which brought together all the Anna Lindh Civil Society Coordinators from the 43 countries of the Euro-Med Partnership. As part of the programme, a joint meeting was organized between the representatives of the Board and the representatives of the Civil Society coordinators to strengthen relations in response to the political and social changes in the Mediterranean space.