On June 2005, the United Nations Programme for the Environment / Mediterranean Action Plan
(UNEP/MAP) celebrated in Rome, within the charming context of Villa Piccolomini, its 30th
anniversary. For this occasion, many initiatives have been organised during the event - international
meetings, video projections, etc. - all devoted to ecological and environmental topics.
COPEAM has given its contribution to this initiative at different levels, confirming its role of promoter
of cultural interactions within the Mediterranean basin, following the spirit of cooperation that inspired its By-Laws and activities since itsorigins, and always committing itself into getting closer not only the cultures but also different professional backgrounds.
This is why a large number of high representatives, as well as journalists belonging to radio-TV broadcasters members of COPEAM - ENTV, TVE, ERTU, HRT - took part in the round-table organised by our Association and moderated by its Secretary General, Alessandra Paradisi, that has
been devoted specifically to “MAP Info System,
information needs and use”. So, the Mediterranean as focal point of experiences and evaluation of our progress and our contradictions, and the environment as one of the most effective indicators of these. Already in January 2005, COPEAM had launched, with the active participation of the ERS/RAC of UNEP/MAP, an initiative in the framework of its training activities, specifically devoted
to the safeguard of environment and cultural patrimony and to the sustainable development:
the University of Ghardaïa, that gathered around these topics more than 50 professionals of the audiovisual field coming from many Euro- Mediterranean countries. A very fruitful meeting, whose main target was to provide the participants with a direct access to the “scientific information”,asked by a public opinion more and more aware and responsible about the issues dealing with environment.
This target is strongly pursued by UNEP/MAP, that makes it the key-factor of the success of its
environmental policies, thanks to the spreading out of correct and reliable data and to the will of getting nearer science and every-day life, experts and citizens, problems of the North and difficulties of the South: this is the great challenge of our time, in terms of solidarity, of cohesion and of research of common and shared solutions vis-à-vis our Sea and our Euro- Mediterranean region.