The 5th edition of the International Advanced Course on the Sustainable Development of Coastal Communities kicked off yesterday at the Tricase Office of CIHEAM Bari.
This year the training programme is hosting 13 ministry officials from 10 coastal countries in the Mediterranean and Africa, including Albania, Algeria, Egypt, Kenya, Lebanon, Mozambique, Senegal, Somalia, Tunisia, and Uganda, as well as 3 young Italian recent graduates interested in the themes of this training.
The Course, funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI), is organized by CIHEAM Bari with the technical support from the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) and the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM).
The main objective of the course is to support the Blue Transformation and Sustainable Development of Coastal Communities by promoting an integrated approach which considers the multiple dimensions of sustainability and the balance between environmental conservation and socio-economic development. Through theoretical and interactive lectures, hands-on exercises, and field visits, participants from diverse backgrounds will have the opportunity to engage in discussions on issues related to environmental sustainability, socio-economic resilience, and local governance, with the aim of fostering the development of conscious coastal communities capable of addressing emerging global challenges.
The opening ceremony of the course was held yesterday afternoon at the Tricase Office of CIHEAM Bari in the presence of Director Maurizio Raeli and the representatives of the City of Tricase. During the panel discussion, moderated by Massimo Zuccaro (CIHEAM Bari) and the tutor Orazio Albano (CIHEAM Bari), Nicola Ferri, Course lecturer and FAO / GFCM representative, shared the importance of strategic partnerships for Blue Transformation capacity-building initiatives.
Mr. Mahmoud Elyes Hamza, Director of the Center for Regional Activities for Specially Protected Areas (RAC/SPA), and Paolo Enrico Sertoli, Director of the Maputo Office of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS), made the conclusions.
The local community welcomed the international delegation's officials, who, for the next 10 weeks, will be taking part in the daily life of Tricase Port Museum, an inclusive and authentic scattered campus where cultural diversity and the exchange of experiences foster meaningful ties and the sharing of ideas and growth prospects.
This 5th edition offers another important opportunity to promote dialogue and cooperation between prestigious international experts, technicians, researchers, decision makers and local communities, emphasizing the need to work together for a more sustainable future of global coastal communities.
