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We give a voice to young people to promote a change of narratives and contribute to a culture of understanding, peace and dialogue in the Euro-Mediterranean region

This programme creates spaces for intercultural encounters between young people in order to promote exchanges of experiences and ideas between peers, identify shared values in the region and transcend those stereotypes that tear us apart. By doing so, it aims to equip young people with tools so they can play a relevant role in future societies and actively promote the values of diversity and co-existence in the Euro-Mediterranean area. 

The programme includes regular youth-to-youth debates on the burning issues in the Euro-Mediterranean area, including violent extremism, hate speech and migration.  

It also features the youth contest “A Sea of Words”, organised in collaboration with the Anna Lindh Foundation and its national networks. The competition is open to young people between the ages of 18 and 30 from the Euromed area. It encourages intercultural dialogue and the exchange of knowledge through the stories about experiences and concerns expressed by young people. Since 2008, each contest has revolved around a different theme, such as gender equality, sustainable development, democracy and citizenship, radicalisation and climate change. 

Through short stories, young people have the opportunity to freely express ideas, perceptions, concerns and hopes. In this way, different local and international traditions are reflected. During the 13th year of the contest, around 3,000 works were received, with a good balance between the North (47%) and South (53%) of the Mediterranean. An international jury selects between 10 and 20 texts every year, and offers the finalists the opportunity to take part in an intercultural experience in Barcelona. This exchange includes literary workshops, cultural visits and the awards ceremony, featuring prominent figures from different fields. 

The 2015 edition

The Future We Want Demands Sustainable Development

The contest seeks short stories about sustainable and non-excluding growth, which raises living standards, benefits the whole of society through wealth distribution and protects the environment.

Sustainable development is a key concept in strengthening the shared heritage of the Mediterranean. Therefore, it is important for dialogue actions to involve the interaction of the largest number of individuals possible as “narrators” of or “listeners” to stories written in the Euro-Mediterranean area.

It is important that young people take on an active role in the endeavour to create a sustainable and respectful society that can be as satisfactory as possible for all. For this, we need to work towards an economy that supports a sustainable environment and shares prosperity equally.

Key information


The call was closed on 31 May 2015

We have received 175 stories written by youths from 25 Euro-Mediterranean countries

The contest welcomes stories written in any of the official languages of the Euro-Mediterranean countries:
Albania, Algeria, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Latvia, Lebanon, Libya, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Malta, Mauritania, Monaco, Montenegro, Morocco, The Netherlands, Palestine, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey and United Kingdom.

Winners announced


(1st Prize)

The Seagull

Georgios Ampatzidis. Greece

(2nd Prize)

Plastic

Slavena Zaharieva. Bulgaria

(3rd Prize)

Dissimilar Similarities

Halil Ecer. Turkey

Other finalists

Better Dead than Alive

Sara Debbache. Algeria

2184

Damjan Krstanović. Croatia

Islands in the Sea of Time

Marija Nezirović. Croatia

Walking on Water

Basma Eloufy. Egypt

The One Who Fights Sharks

Maria Tramountani. Germany

Safe Journey

Christoforos Pavlakis. Greece

The Dancing Raindrop

Ilias Kolokouris. Greece

A Citizen’s Insanity

Omar Hussein Al Othman. Jordan

A Second Kind of Genesis

Giulia Privitelli. Malta

The Last Message

Aya Kamel Rabah. Palestine

Red Venus

Kasia Nocuń. Poland

The Discovery of Fire

Yeray García Celades. Spain

Climb Your Own Mountain

Lara Bulut. Turkey

Whose Ankara?

Murat Mercan. Turkey

Co-organised with