Athens inaugurates the first edition of the ‘Atlas’ International Mediterranean Forum
- An opening that highlights the strategic dimension of the meeting
- Two scientific sessions to rethink the Mediterranean between history and current transformations
- A forum to rediscover the common Mediterranean heritage
On Monday, 1 December, Athens hosted the official launch of the first edition of the ‘Atlas’ International Mediterranean Forum, organised from 1 to 3 December 2025 under the slogan ‘The Mediterranean Sea... a space for civilisational connection and convergence between its two shores’. The event took place in the multipurpose cultural hall of the municipality of Heraklion - Athens.
Organised under the patronage of the Embassy of the Kingdom of Morocco in Greece, and in collaboration with the municipality of Heraklion - Athens and the Group of Francophone Ambassadors in Greece, the forum brought together a high-level diplomatic representation on its opening day. Ambassadors from Mediterranean and French-speaking countries, representatives of various diplomatic missions, mayors, academics, experts and thinkers from both shores of the Mediterranean participated, as well as the Director General of the International Organisation for Francophone Cooperation and Security of the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
An opening that highlights the strategic dimension of the meeting
The opening session underlined the value of the forum as a platform for strengthening dialogue and promoting a shared vision of the challenges facing the Mediterranean.
The mayor of Heraklion, Nikos Babalos, said that this first edition was a fundamental step towards consolidating cultural ties between the Mediterranean peoples, expressing his gratitude to the Moroccan Embassy for the initiative and for promoting this new space for cooperation.
In turn, Stefan Estermann, Swiss ambassador and dean of the Group of Francophone Ambassadors in Greece, highlighted the strategic importance of the forum, noting that it contributes to building a common civilisational and cultural foundation among Mediterranean countries with a Francophone tradition.
The Moroccan Ambassador to Greece, Mohammed Sbihi, thanked the organisers and participants for their support, emphasising that the main objective is to establish a permanent framework for dialogue and collaboration to address the shared challenges affecting the region, whether cultural, social or geopolitical.
Two scientific sessions to rethink the Mediterranean between history and current transformations
The first day's programme included two scientific sessions that brought together experts from Morocco, Greece, France and other Mediterranean countries.
The first, entitled ‘The Mediterranean as a historical space for civilisational exchange’, addressed multiple themes:
- Othman Bentaleb (Morocco), human rights activist and director general of Anbaa Express, analysed ‘The role of Morocco and the Mediterranean dimension: from historical exchange to strategic vision’.
- Pavlos Kavouras (Greece), professor emeritus of cultural anthropology, presented a reflection on ‘The Mediterranean as a historical region of civilisational communication’.
- Mohammed Haddaoui Thabit (France), coordination manager at the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity, spoke on ‘Green economy and innovation in the Mediterranean region’.
- Panagiotis Andrikopoulos (Greece), lawyer at the Athens Bar Association, analysed ‘The Mediterranean: a divided world and a unified world – legal and political perspectives’.
The second session, entitled ‘Towards a shared vision between Arab and Western countries in the Mediterranean region’, focused on issues related to democracy, historical memory, cultural diplomacy and the role of professional skills.
Notable speakers included:
- Stamos Papastamos, academic and former dean of Pantion University, who addressed ‘Democracy in the Mediterranean and the contributions of Greece, Italy, France, Spain and Morocco to its consolidation’.
- Nabil Driouch (Morocco), journalist and writer specialising in history and politics, who analysed ‘The shared memory between Morocco and Spain: from disputed history to civilised neighbourliness’.
- Taha Riadi (France), researcher in law and political science at the University of Bordeaux, with a presentation on ‘Youth and cultural diplomacy: a new generation for a unified Mediterranean vision.’
- Abdelkhalek Hassani (France), professor and community activist, who presented ‘Moroccan skills in Europe as a driver of shared development in the Mediterranean.’
A forum to rediscover the common Mediterranean heritage
In its first edition, the ‘Atlas’ Forum aims to rediscover and enhance the common Mediterranean heritage, promote cultural and scientific dialogue, and generate collective reflections on identity, migration, climate change, the media and opportunities for regional cooperation.
The activities will take place over three days, with a programme rich in debates, conferences and spaces for intellectual exchange.
