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| INVEST IN THE
MEDITERRANEAN -
SELLING POINTS |
| Art of living and civilisations |
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| The contemporary South and Eastern Mediterranean region offers a relatively unified face, with the Arabic language and the Muslim religion in a large majority, similar architecture, life styles and geographical spaces. |
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| Photo : Art of living and civilisations |
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Art of living and civilisations
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Unity and diversity mingled |
The national heritage, ethnic or religious, however, remains very important and although at times the source of conflicts, this diversity is also one of the assets of the region and should be preserved and enhanced. |
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Language, culture and religion |
Out of the twelve countries involved in the EuroMediterranean partnership, eight have Arabic as official language. It is also the second official language in Israel and an Italianised Maghreb dialect is still spoken today in Malta. The linguistic predominance sustains a certain cultural and social unity, especially since it is the result of a strong preponderance, past and present, of the Muslim religion throughout the whole region.
Indeed, from Islam there flow a social behaviour and currents of thought that may still be observed in the majority of the MEDA countries. The patriarchal model, the importance of the family, the dietary rules or even the laws of succession are just a few of the elements issued from a religion which is to be found today even in a lay State the likes of Turkey. A good part of this culture has, however, very many affinities with the Greco-Latin world which has left its mark on the Northern shores - from the place of the olive tree and its oil to the architecture or certain attitudes vis à vis women or politics. Given the past and present blends, frankly it is a real Mediterranean melting pot that is being referred to here. |
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Natural conditions and way of life |
Natural inherent elements also contribute to give the region its specificity and its uniformity in terms of way of life and civilisation, with, in the first instance, the climatic and geographical conditions.
The heat and the aridity of the Mediterranean climate largely influence the way of life and the organisation of the populations. Here the culture of the olive tree is to be encountered almost everywhere, wheat, dates and sheep rearing which are the basic elements of the region's diet. The squat houses, simple in shape, organised around an internal courtyard, and the narrow little streets are omnipresent even if increasing urbanisation and the development of metropolitan areas tends to favour a « modern » more Western style.
If the geographical environment and the climate often impose strong constraints, they are also at the origin of a way of life the gentleness of which continues to attract and charm the numerous visitors who come from the world over. On the sea shore or in the middle of the desert, the traditional tea-time remains an instant of great conviviality and interchange and the legendary hospitality of the populations is just one of the important assets of the region.
This relaxed way of life is also reflected in the local crafts and the great variety of extremely rich artistic achievements as well as the very vivacious oriental musical and audio-visual production, particularly in Egypt. |
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A healthy diversity |
If the contemporary civilisation in the South and Eastern Mediterranean presents a certain uniformity, it is nevertheless important not to lose sight of the extreme importance of the national, ethnic or religious attachments and the conflicts which arise from time to time from their defense.
Apart from Turkey, the MEDA countries only started gaining their independence from Europe in the fifties and national identity continues to remain ever present. This strong nationalist feeling can be explained in part by the quasi-absence today of supranational organisations capable of defending the common interests on the political and economic level. Moreover, inside the States, the religious, ethnic even regional belonging is very strongly vindicated.
The Berber populations in the Maghreb, the Kurds of Turkey or still the Bedouins of the Machrek affirm their determination to preserve their cultural, linguistic particularities and their own style of life. These ethnic claims may still today take conflictual turns as in Algeria with the recent Kabylia protests or even in Turkey with the Kurdish minority.
On the religious level also the diversity is a current talking point, whether within Islam or vis à vis the other religions. Egypt for example retains a large Coptic Christian community which is no less attached to this country. The minorities of Islam itself are also well integrated and accepted since the Sunnite majority respects the Shiites or even, the mystique movements which emanate from Soufism. Religious tensions still exist today, however, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict does not cease to illustrate the strength of the examples of radicalism present in the region. Although at times the source of conflicts, the very diversity of this region is also an asset for it provides its cultural and historic wealth and its creative dynamism.
The contemporary civilisation in the MEDA countries hence asserts itself as one of the great civilisations of our time. It has managed to build cultural and social references and a common way of life while all the time preserving and respecting the strong diversities which exist within it. |
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