ALForum 2025: Discover What Fadi Learned!
I was happy to participate at the forum and learned a lot from the many sessions, events, and activities I joined. Here is an overview of the sessions I took part in.
”(Re)thinking Mediterranean Diplomacy: Challenges and Opportunities for Regional Cooperation”
This session covered the following topics: Mediterranean diplomacy is fragmented; needing responses to shared issues like climate change, security, and economic instability; Rethinking regional frameworks to unlock the Mediterranean’s untapped potential as a unified geopolitical actor. The key proposals of the session includes institutional reform, breaking diplomatic issues, and engaging civil society is key.
Take-Home Messages:
Without coordinated diplomacy, the region remains vulnerable to shared threats, true regional cooperation requires substantive strategic alignment and political will. Rising above political issues can unlock more responsive and flexible policy-making.
”The Signs of Times: How AI tools are reshaping the way we work, and how to make the most out of it”
This session covered the topics of AI; Transformation; Youth; Labour Market Disruptions; Digital Divides; Ethical Issues; Inclusive and Right-based Approaches. I felt very inspired by the talks about AI as transforming the workforce, especially for youth in the Euro-Mediterranean. The speakers also mentioned that while AI brings opportunities, it also causes labour market disruptions, widens digital divides, and raises ethical issues. Overall, the session highlighted the need for inclusive and rights-based approaches to empower youth in the evolving job market.
Take-Home Messages:
Youth need both digital skills and ethical awareness to thrive in AI-driven jobs. Take care sharing personal info with Ai LLMs, as it stores data for other purposes. Human-centered innovation ensures that technology serves people, not the other way around.
“Unlocking Youth Competitiveness: Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Skills”
This session covered the topics of; Youth; Innovation; Cultural Renewal; Inclusive Growth, as the speakers promoting viewing youth not as a challenge, but as drivers of innovation, cultural renewal, and inclusive growth. At the same time, the session highlighted the reasons to focus on blending formal and non-formal education, including digital literacy, entrepreneurship, and creative thinking, as it is key to preparing youth for Ai-driven and social innovation sectors. Furthermore, the session pointed out the need to call for regional strategies to invest in skills development, entrepreneurial ecosystems, and the removal of structural barriers like limited mobility and outdated curricula.
Knowledge it gave me:
Key skills for entrepreneurship, storytelling, the underestimated skill, networking, and keep doing what you are doing. Systemic obstacles, such as lack of access to finance or outdated education systems, must be actively addressed. Cross-border collaboration and knowledge exchange can amplify impact and bridge opportunity gaps.
“Humanity Rising: Healing and hope beyond war “Case Study: the ALFinMotion mobility for creativity exhibition “My Boots are Beautiful”
My own team organised this interactive session that explored the emotional and cultural impact of war through storytelling, art, and lived experiences, by the beautiful hands of children. It also featured the ALF in Motion initiative “My Boots Are Beautiful,” a transnational art project connecting children from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Türkiye and included real-life stories from communities shaped by displacement and diversity to highlight how creativity and civic engagement foster belonging and trust. As a participant, I was invited to draw my own boots, turning abstract themes like peace and identity into personal artistic expression.
Take-Home Messages:
Engage youth in creative projects, promote emotional connection and cross-border understanding.
Symbols and shared experiences, even simple ones like a boot, can carry deep cultural and emotional meaning. Active participation helps and directs the message in a meaningful, long lasting way.
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“Green and Fair: Designing Inclusive Climate Futures”
This session was about Human-centred climate action which is vital for a just and green transition in the Euro-Mediterranean; as well as Global collaboration, and North-South cooperation as key to effective climate Preservation.
Knowledge it gave me:
A bottom-up approach that blends local knowledge with scientific and policy frameworks can create more impactful solutions. True climate change prevention involves shared responsibility, especially between the North and South.
Cultural Events and Folks’ Traditions and Music
These consisted of traditional, cultural, folk festival music from Egypt, Jordan, Albania, Spain, Bosnia and Kosovo.
Knowledge it gave me:
This experience showed me that music truly is a universal language. It revealed how the cultures and traditions of different countries naturally intersect. I could feel the shared rhythms in the beats, the music, and even the dance moves. It’s a form of expression that connects people across borders, something everyone can understand and feel.
“Youth and Cultural Narratives: Join actions against polarization and hate speech”
An interesting session that covered topics of Narrative Construction; and Culture as a tool to gather people again and raise awareness. The session highlighted the urgent challenge of polarization and hate speech in the Mediterranean, especially among youth. It emphasized the importance of critical thinking, respectful debate, and intercultural dialogue as tools to counter divisive narratives. Through a structured debate-based format and diverse perspectives, we learned how evidence-based reasoning and constructive disagreement can foster social cohesion. It also underlined the role of youth-led initiatives in shaping inclusive civic spaces and offered a space to reflect on leadership, communication, and resilience-building.
Take-Home Messages:
A key takeaway was that dialogue isn’t just an exchange of opinions, it’s a method for change, helping young people actively build a more united and tolerant Mediterranean region.
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Fadi (July 2025)
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#TheDialogueEffect
