The online seminar was kicked-off by a welcome remark of H.E Mr. Nasser Kamel, the Secretary General of the Union for the Mediterranean. During his intervention, Mr Nasser emphasised the importance of fostering regional cooperation in the Mediterranean and the role of youth to secure a more stable and prosperous future for the region. The welcome remark was followed by a keynote speech by Dr Hans-Gert Pöttering, the Former President of the European Parliament. During his speech, Dr. Pöttering presented the idea behind the Barcelona Process, as a historical milestone to achieve a more peaceful region that favours economic cooperation and dialogue. The Former President of the European Parliament stressed on the necessity of strengthening the visibility and the role of young people in the region.
The second part of the virtual event was dedicated to the discussion panel where a group of young experts provided their inputs on the Barcelona Process and the importance of such framework to work within. The young experts, who were from different countries of both shores of the Mediterranean, presented the current situation of youth in their countries, especially amid the coronavirus pandemic, and gave a regional outlook of youth participation in the socio-economic development. During the online seminar, the speakers shared their recommendations for a boosted youth participation by fostering north-south and south-south youth exchange, facilitate access to finance and scholarships and promote youth entrepreneurship. The young experts had the chance to interact with the participants to answer their questions and exchange ideas.