The president of YATA Macedonia and YATA International VP for Public Diplomacy, Mr. Ilija Djugumanov, participated on the international working seminar dedicated to Euro-Mediterranean cooperation.

The Youth Euro-Mediterranean Meeting on the topic “The Future of Cooperation in the Euro-Mediterranean Region” was organized over three days.

The first day (Friday 24th) was devoted to briefings on the cooperation programs of the International Organizations in the Euro-Mediterranean region and the Italian Atlantic Committee and the Atlantic Treaty Association activities therein. The participants also received the necessary guidelines and directions to outline a project proposal aimed at advancing the Euro-Mediterranean cooperation in the youth field. After the Meeting, a visit to the Giambattista Vico Foundation Museum was organized, followed by an excursion to Agropoli, where the participants were greeted by the President of the Giambattista Vico Foundation, Prof. Vincenzo Pepe, and by local Authorities and Institutions.

On the second day, Saturday 25th, the participants were actively involved in the drafting and presentation of youth cooperation projects focused on the Southern Mediterranean and the Balkans. In the evening, the participants attended the bestowal ceremony of the 2013 Legality Award promoted by the Italian Foundation for Legality and Development, in collaboration with the Rotary Club Paestum, the Giambattista Vico Foundation and the Aquara BCC Bank. Among the prize winners was the President of the Italian Atlantic Committee, Hon. Prof. Enrico La Loggia.

The last day, Sunday 26th, participants visited the archaeological sites of Paestum, with its three majestic Temples and had a meeting with young students from Oklahoma University, USA.

The main mission of this working seminar was to facilitate the gathering of young researchers and professionals, Ph.D. candidates and university students from Eastern Europe and the Southern Mediterranean region, and to promote dialogue and cooperation among them.



Moreover, the seminar intended to provide the participants with a platform to exchange ideas, expertise and best practices on the way forward to achieve common solutions to the common challenges regarding the Euro-Mediterranean region; discuss and draft cooperation projects in the youth field which will be brought to the attention of the Euro-Atlantic institutions; and last but not less important to promote a better understanding of the International Organizations' programs in the Euro-Mediterranean region, also through non-formal learning activities.

The seminar took place in Paestum on May 24-26, 2013.
The Meeting was organized by the Italian Atlantic Committee, in cooperation with the Atlantic Treaty Association, and attended by 12 young researchers, professionals and Ph.D. candidates belonging to the Youth Network for Cooperation in the Mediterranean of the Italian Atlantic Committee and the YATA South-Eastern European Working Group. Also graduate students, young researchers and professional selected by the University of Salerno participated in this event.