The document summarizes an intercultural dialogue event among youth from countries in the Mediterranean region held in Jordan in March 2004. The event aimed to promote mutual understanding and respect between cultures in the region to counter intolerance. Participants from Spain, Morocco, Italy, Lebanon, Egypt and Jordan engaged in discussions, cultural activities and family visits over 8 days. The hosting organization Land and Human to Advocate Progress coordinated activities with support from the European Commission to encourage continued cooperation among youth on socio-economic and cultural issues and promote peace in the region.

1. Intercultural Dialogue among Youth in the
Mediterranean Jordan Destination 21
Jordan, 11 – 20 March 2004
“Peace, Culture and Sustainable Development”
Project carried out with the support of the
Youth Program of the European Community
Introduction
As the Mediterranean has been for long time recognized as a
meeting-point between Asia, Africa and Europe, with a unique
history stretching back ten thousand years, the birthplace of
religions, and the centre of the known world. We have thought to
utilize these uniqueness to establish an intercultural dialogue among
youth to bring remedy and healing to this bleeding region in specific
and the whole world in general after September 11 tragedy The
project will seek to create a better understanding and mutual
respect between cultures. The concept is to fight fanaticism,
intolerance, xenophobia and discrimination based on race, religion,
ethnicity, language, gender, age and sexual orientation.
The purpose is to bring young people from countries in the North
coast of the Mediterranean to meet young people in the South and
discuss how our cultures were able to live together for centuries and
were able to establish well known histories at either sites of the
Mediterranean in away it should be the case nowadays which
witnesses misunderstanding and the growth of hatred and promote
instead peace and love through understanding each other with
dialogue.
Countries participating
Spain-Catalonia, Morocco, Italy, Lebanon, Egypt, Jordan [SMILE-JO]
Places in Jordan
Amman – Jerash – Irbed - Umm Qais – Ham´meh, Nahr el Yarmouk
– Pella – The Dead Sea.
Project Partners
Mediterranean Eco-operation Program (MEP – 9 participants) ●
AMWAJ for Environment (6 participants) ● Arab Office for Youth and
Environment (AOYE – 6 participants) ● Land and Human to
Advocate Progress – Youth for Sustainable Development Committee
(LHAP- YSD – 12 participants) ● Forum per la Laguna (12
participants) ● Association for Development Environment and
Alphabetisation (ANDEA - 6 participants).
Objectives
To promote knowledge and mutual respect between the
cultures, traditions and values, which exist in the partner
countries;
To exert substantial efforts towards the identification and
removal of the odds interfering with the process of a sincere
intercultural dialogue and the existence and function ability
of intercultural education and awareness;

2. to support a free circulation of ideas and opinions in this dialogue: The freedom of expression of
intellectuals and artists is inseparable and indivisible part of the rights of the human person;
to encourage the circulation of the youth of dialogue among cultures knowing that there is no true
cultural partnership without human contact and direct exchange of people;
To understand the human sciences, arts, cultures and trade as sources of understanding societies
and fields that facilitate cooperation;
To give credence to youth organizations and networks of the Mediterranean society;
To come up with a strategy and action plan on how to bridge gaps.
Activity Program and intercultural dimension
Different methods were used during the activities, like icebreaking games, working groups, group
discussions, individual and group presentations and meetings with key persons, Family visits were also a
contact point between local community and the participants. Contacts among participants were created
through developing an e-discussion and e-contacts prior coming to Jordan to ice break and be prepared
for the program. International cultural exchange evenings were ornganized to give an opportunity to
participating country to get exposed to other nations. Participants were given the chance to spend half a
day with Jordanian families for exposure of either sides and have national meals There were daily oral
evaluation at the end of each day, daily leaders meeting and feedback, final written evaluation. An e-
network were established and the partner organizations will meet to think of a continuation of exchange
through inviting more partners and have similar ones in other countries by applying to European
Commission.
Day 1: Participants arrival and pick up by YSD cars. Dinner / Food festival of participating countries
Day 2: Ice breaking and group introduction, country and organisation presentation. Dinner with cultural
event.
Day 3: Panel discussion including meeting with Christian and Muslim Clerics. Participants reflection and
feedback. Wrap up discussion and evaluation. Dinner along with cultural event.
Day 4: Working groups presentations. Visit to Amman Amphitheatre, King Abdullah Mosque and the
Church. Amman down-town walking in separate groups. Dinner along with cultural event.
Day 5: Visit to Jerash, to Oumm Qais, Ham´meh, Yarmouk River. Lunch in Pella. Visit to Joan Baptiste
site and the Dead Sea. Dinner in the Greater Amman Municipality Complex.
Day 6: Working groups to formulate a strategy to assist bridging the gaps among cultures. Visit to
Jordanian families in separate groups. Dinner with Jordanian families.
Day 7: Participants reflection and feedback on the families visits. Presentation of the strategy.
Brainstorming session on “where to go from here”. Free time. Fare well cultural evening and dinner.
Day 8: departure of participants
Hosting Organisation
Land and Human to Advocate Progress – Youth for Sustainable Development Committee (LHAP - YSD).
Project Leader.
Land and Human to Advocate Progress works in the field of sustainable development, training, awareness
raising, assisting local community organizations in formulating project proposals and seek funds,
encourage young people to involve in the activities of supporting communities, managing events, provide
consultancy and lead campaigns and conduct studies.
LHAP and MEP through this exchange and gathering in Jordan have established linkages and connections
with the aim of working together on socio-cultural and economical issues to improve relations, and human
development, promote peace, understanding, and working together [a start-up for a program]
Intercultural Dialogue among Youth in the Mediterranean Jordan Destination 21
21
received the economical and logistical supports from the European Commission – Euro Med Youth Action
Program ● Greater Amman Municipality ● contribution from participants ● Jordanians Families ● Royal
Cultural Centre ● Haya Cultural Centre ● Amman Hall ● King Abdullah Mosque ● Jerusalem rest house.
Contact for more information:
Ruba Anbar Abbas Zahreddine
Land and Human to Advocate Progress (LHAP) Mediterranean Eco-operation Program (MEP)
Lhap@index.com.jo info@mep-msda.org / www.mep-msda.org
Amman Tel ++962-6-5519756 Barcelona Tel: ++ 34 636011331
Photos credits:
Maite Charles, Helena Moliné, Miloud Ghazali - participants March 2004