From your previous experiences, what do you think is the most important skill useful at the Anna Lindh Foundation?

The most important skill is knowing how to listen. There is a difference between cultural diplomacy and cultural promotion, whether “selling” your culture or working together without preconceptions, but as equals.

A challenge often faced is that when cooperating with EU countries, they are more cautious about sharing their own culture instead of adopting an intercultural approach.

Listening, dialogue, and hearing the other is really important.

How does the Anna Lindh Foundation foster a bottom-up, youth-led, cross-cultural dialogue process within its activities?  

We think that all we do must have a concrete impact. For the promotion of culture, we use inclusive tools with programs that are important to promote cultural actions, and rooted where these activities take place while also contributing to inclusion and cultural diversity, as culture shows how differences can bring precious things to the table.

For example, the “Day of Mediterranean” program opens applications competitively. The goal is to perform cultural activities in different countries.

The objectives of the program are to promote civil society organizations and foster collaboration with local administrations, to add value to intercultural exchanges, and to root organizations’ presence at a community level.

This work is carried out in tandem between the Anna Lindh Foundation and organizations, in order to foster autonomy and partnership with local administrations.

Highlighting interculturality with citizens creates a multiplier effect. Although the Anna Lindh Foundation has limited resources, these actions help attract additional funding.

Even though it consequently contributes to economic development, the goal of the Anna Lindh Foundation is to promote working together.

You talked about the Mediterranean Capitals of Culture and Dialogue. I know that for 2026, Tetouan in Morocco and Matera in Italy have been elected. I wanted to know what positive results you have witnessed since the launch?

The launch of the program started in 2022. The selection process is very long as participation includes the 43 countries of the Union for the Mediterranean, composed of intergovernmental institutions in Europe and South Mediterranean countries from Mauritania to Alexandria in Egypt.

To reach consensus, the process takes a lot of time. So, the first newly elected cities were announced in 2025, with Tirana and Alexandria. Along with this, 16 municipal initiatives for dialogue have been launched in Tirana.

From your point of view, what role does Germany play in Anna Lindh Foundation’s activities?

The Anna Lindh Foundation works with Heads of Networks in member countries of the Union for the Mediterranean. For Germany, the Head of Network is an organization called Candid. Candid offers specific programs for civil society, but these programs are related to their capacities and beneficiaries.

With 43 countries participating, there are over 4,500 member organizations. The core business for the Anna Lindh Foundation is to ensure that these organizations have a sense of belonging, with shared values.

The programs of the Anna Lindh Foundation include Mediterranean Youth in Action, a program on the reinforcement of youth capabilities with the help of academics. This program is implemented through public calls, and it targets youth researchers, community leaders, and content creators. Other programs are ALF in Motion, focused on the promotion of mobility in the Mediterranean region, ALF Hands On, by and for civil society organizations, and ALF Knowledge for Action, promoting civil society and academia.

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