L'Europe mediterraneenne / Mediterranean Europe

The geography and the history of Mediterranean Europe are very different from those of the other European regions, but their role in the relationships with the other shores of the Mediterranean can be of great assistance to Europe as a whole. All the countries bordering the sea that witnessed the birth of some of the major civilisations of the world share a long tradition of economic and cultural relations. In the past numerous diasporas knit the harbour cities together, transmitting the ideas of the Enlightenment; today an uninterrupted flow of raw materials traverses the Mediterranean, together with people, ideas and technology. The European Union is called upon to develop a major Mediterranean policy, both through the accession of new countries, and by means of a policy of neighbourhood or of privileged associations. The principal tool should be a cultural policy that serves as a bridge between east and west, north and south. A common policy to spread the values contained in the project of the European constitution. In its motto "United in diversity," the Union recognises diversity as its most valuable asset. The countries of Mediterranean Europe, with their experience and their knowledge, can make a precious contribution to this policy. This book, the fruit of international co-operation among 20 researchers, offers a contribution to the study of Mediterranean Europe not only in the historic, economic, demographic and politological ambit, but also in the sphere of international relations and cultural policy.