Prof. Dr. Mustafa Aydın, President of Istanbul Aydın University and President of the Anatolian Education and Culture Foundation (AKEV), took part as a speaker at the XVIIIth Euro-Mediterranean Dialogue Conference was held in the historic city of Marsala, Italy. “The event was organized by the Committee for European-Mediterranean Cooperation of Local and Regional Authorities (COPPEM) and the Phoenicians Route: A Dialogue Among Peers” was organized by the Committee for Cooperation of Local and Regional Authorities in Europe and the Mediterranean (COPPEM) and the Phoenicians Route.
In his speech, Prof. Dr. Mustafa Aydın highlighted that the Mediterranean has been a cultural bridge that has brought different civilizations together throughout history, and emphasized that today this rich heritage is at risk from global crises, geopolitical instability, forced migration and environmental threats.
Prof. Dr. Aydın stated that universities should lead cultural diplomacy in this context and emphasized the responsibility of the academic world. He stated that projects supporting cultural cooperation are vital in terms of preserving the common past and transferring it to the future.
He also shared the role of digital transformation in the protection of cultural heritage, citing the “Digitization of Cultural Heritage Project (KÜMSA)” implemented by the Anadolu Education and Culture Foundation as an example.
At the end of the conference, Prof. Dr. Mustafa Aydın thanked all participants who contributed to the event and emphasized that they will continue to see the Mediterranean not only as a geography carrying the traces of the past, but also as a common ground for peace, collaboration and a sustainable future.
