On the website of Philea – Philanthropy Europe Association, an opinion piece authored by Ms. Cvjetana Plavša-Matić, Director of the National Foundation for Civil Society Development, has been published, addressing the role of the Mediterranean as a key region for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.
The article views the Mediterranean as a complex region where climate, social, economic, and migration challenges strongly intersect, but also as an area with significant potential for developing innovative, cross-sector solutions. Precisely because of these specific characteristics, it emphasizes the need for the Mediterranean to become a kind of “testing ground” for sustainable development policies and partnerships in line with the 2030 Agenda.
Special emphasis is placed on the importance of cooperation between civil society, the public sector, philanthropy, and international partners, with the active involvement of local communities. In this context, the need to strengthen participatory approaches to development, social cohesion, and community resilience is highlighted, particularly in the context of growing inequalities and demographic changes in the Mediterranean region.
The article also underscores the interconnection between sustainable development and issues such as migration, youth employment, gender equality, environmental protection, and natural resource management, stressing that these challenges cannot be addressed in isolation but require integrated policies and long-term partnerships. In this context, the Zadar Declaration “Act for the Mediterranean”, presented at the International Conference “From Vision to Change: Towards 2030”, represents an important framework for strengthening regional cooperation and further highlights the role of international initiatives and programs that connect stakeholders from Mediterranean countries in joint action for sustainable development.
In her article, the Director also particularly emphasizes the importance of the iM:PACT program as a platform for strengthening cross-sectoral and international cooperation aimed at implementing the Sustainable Development Goals in the Mediterranean context. The program was launched by the National Foundation for Civil Society Development and brings together Mediterranean partners: Eurac Research (Italy), YouSea Institute – Institute for Sustainable Development and Youth Participation (Slovenia), Fundación Empresa y Sociedad (Spain), Foundation for the Well-being of Society (Malta), and the Portuguese Centre of Foundations (Portugal), with Philea and the Anna Lindh Foundation as horizontal partners.
The full article is available at the following link.
Source: Philea
