Tackling perceptions and analyzing misunderstanding is at the heart of the Anna Lindh Foundation’s region-wide strategy for action, endorsed by the forty-three countries of the Barcelona Process: Union for the Mediterranean.

Brussels on 16th September 2008,
André Azoulay, President of the Anna Lindh Foundation, set out the organization’s new approach, and strategy for the coming three years, at the meeting of the Euro-Med Committee of senior officials and ambassadors, convening jointly in its capacity as the Foundation’s Board of Governors.

The meeting marked the first occasion high level representatives of all forty-three Euromed countries have gathered together following July’s Paris Summit for the Mediterranean that concluded in an enlarged political partnership for regional peace and prosperity, as well as reinforcing the Anna Lindh Foundation’s role as actor for dialogue between cultures in the region.

Presenting at the meeting, André Azoulay set out the new approach that centers on large-scale action in fields that can influence and shape perceptions in the region, including political leaders, educators, journalists and intellectuals, in addition to the Foundation assuming the role of centre of analysis of socio-cultural trends contributing to regional coexistence.

“In addition to continuing to facilitate and support the intercultural action of our civil society networks,” said Azoulay. “We need to better analyze and understand the factors which contribute to misunderstanding in the region, an analysis which can provide guidelines to actors on the ground and support political leaders in removing barriers to intercultural dialogue work.”

The work of the Foundation on those fields will be implemented, gradually, during 2009, with the launch of an interconnected series of large-scale initiatives: on education, media, the intellectual space and spirituality. It will start with the preparation of the first annual report on socio-cultural trends and challenges in the Euromed space related to intercultural dialogue.

To make possible the opening of a new phase for the Anna Lindh Foundation, with a more ambitious programme, the Executive Director, Andreu Claret, presented to the Board a set of proposals to enhance the capacity of the organization, to rationalize the internal organization and to improve the visibility of the Foundation with a new communication policy. Next December, Claret will present the programme for 2008-2011 at the Board, for its approval, underlines the important process of consultations with the Advisory Council and the National Networks.

Speaking at the close of the meeting, President Azoulay commented :

“Following the endorsement of this new strategy, as well as such positive feedback, I am more determined than ever to ensure the Foundation fully assumes the ambition of its mandate in bringing people from across the Euromed space together to shape and work for their common future.”