Muğla, Türkiye, May 6, 2025 –
As part of the lead-up to the upcoming UN Ocean Conference (UNOC 3), which will take place later this year in Nice, a key workshop was held on May 5–6 in Muğla, Türkiye. Organized by the Agency for Sustainable Mediterranean Cities and Territories (Avitem), the event aimed to develop a unified Mediterranean voice around the theme: "How can we rebuild a cultural relationship between land and sea to strengthen territorial resilience?"
This workshop, titled “The Voice of the Mediterranean”, marked the fourth in a series of preparatory meetings conducted over the past year. The goal: to co-write a collective strategic document that will be presented at UNOC 3, promoting the Mediterranean as a space for cooperation in the face of mounting climate, social, and environmental challenges.
Key institutional figures in attendance included Gonca Köksal, Mayor of Mentese; Ahmet Aras, Metropolitan Mayor of Muğla; Nadia Fanton, Consul General of France in Istanbul; and Agnès Rampal, Vice-President of the Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis and President of Avitem.
A Renewed Perspective on the Land-Sea Relationship
The Mediterranean, one of the world’s most touristic regions, is under increasing pressure: climate disruption, rising sea levels, over-tourism, marine pollution, and the fragility of coastal ecosystems. The Muğla workshop called for a reexamination of the relationship between local populations and their maritime environment, through cultural, artistic, and social lenses.
This theme resonated especially with the youth participants from the European program "Teenagers in Action for Green Practices", currently in mobility in Fethiye (Türkiye). Their involvement provided an opportunity to connect the educational aims of their seminar — focused on the “7Rs” of sustainability : Rethink, Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repair, Regift, Recycle — with more institutional discussions. The “Rethink” component was brought to life through the debates on the paradigms that must be reinvented between land and sea.
Heritage, Local Cooperation, and Resilience
At the core of the discussions was the need to set tangible goals for 2050 and 2100. A quote from Albert Camus, shared during the event, captured the spirit: “A new Mediterranean culture compatible with our social ideal is achievable. It is up to us, and to you, to make this a reality.”
The challenges are numerous: supporting coastal authorities faced with environmental and migratory crises, reinforcing territorial resilience, and showcasing the strength of cooperation among Mediterranean cities. As several speakers emphasized, tensions between nation-states do not always translate to the municipal level, where human and diplomatic ties tend to remain stronger and more direct.
Preservation and Transmission: The French Model in Focus
An interview with Agnès Langevine, President of the French Coastal Protection Agency (Conservatoire du Littoral), highlighted a successful European initiative. With over 840 protected sites representing 18% of the French coastline, the Conservatoire relies on a network of more than 342 management partners and 900 field agents. Ms. Langevine emphasized the emotional connection that citizens often develop with natural sites in childhood as a powerful tool for protection: “When we love something, we protect it better.”
The strength of this policy lies in its ability to combine scientific rigor with collective storytelling, fostering local consensus without compromising on conservation principles. She described this mission as “a job for eternity.”
A Common Message for the Future
The Muğla meeting reaffirmed a shared desire to build a Mediterranean vision rooted in solidarity and sustainability. By bringing together decision-makers, experts, youth, and citizens around concrete initiatives, the workshop helped shape a common strategy for safeguarding the Mediterranean Sea — cradle of civilizations, yet also a witness to contemporary tragedies.
As UNOC 3 approaches, Mediterranean voices are determined to be heard, carrying a message grounded in cooperation, memory, and action.
