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Palermo, A Crossroads of the Mediterranean. The Med-Or International Event in Sicily
On September 18 and 19, 2025, Palermo hosted the international conference “Palermo, A Crossroads of the Mediterranean.” Among the key participants were Italian ministers Matteo Piantedosi, Alessandro Giuli, and Anna Maria Bernini, Prince Turki al-Faisal, and Marco Minniti.
The event “Palermo, A Crossroads of the Mediterranean,” a two-day international conference promoted by the Med-Or Italian Foundation in Sicily, concluded successfully. From September 18 to 19, 2025, it brought together prominent figures from international politics, diplomacy, research, culture, as well as representatives from institutions and the business sector. The aim was to deepen the understanding of new geopolitical, economic, cultural, and scientific dynamics affecting the Mediterranean region to foster shared development, cooperation, and multilateral dialogue. Sicily and Palermo, historically a meeting point and crossroads of diverse cultures, religions, and civilizations, proved to be the perfect stage for an exchange of ideas and perspectives on the future of the Mediterranean.
The event was preceded on the afternoon of September 17 by a meeting of the Foundation’s International Board, which includes members from 29 countries. The conference opened with institutional greetings from the Mayor of Palermo, Roberto Lagalla, followed by the reading of a message sent by Antonio Tajani, Vice President of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
Subsequently, Prince Turki Al-Faisal, President of the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies, delivered the keynote speech inaugurating the conference. He emphasized the need of strengthening regional cooperation at this critical juncture in the history of the Mediterranean.
The first day then featured three thematic panels, moderated by Alessandro De Angelis and Myrta Merlino. The first panel, dedicated to new routes in Mediterranean geopolitics, included participants such as Carmelo Abela, Thomas De Maizière, Gilles Kepel, and Francesco Maria Talò, alongside Alessia Melcangi and Pierpaolo Ribuffo. The second panel focused on geopolitics and international security scenarios, examining emerging risks, strategies, and alliances in the broader Mediterranean area. Participants included Ebtesam Al-Ketbi, Dīmītrīs Avramopoulos, and Alia Hatoug-Bouran, as well as Alessandro Grassano, Bernardino Léon, Alessio Nardi, and Vittorio Pisani. During this discussion, Matteo Piantedosi, Minister of the Interior, intervened via video call from Rome. The third panel concentrated on innovation and research as drivers for shared development, featuring experts such as Maria Fabrizia Buongiorno, Karim El Aynaoui, Andrea Lenzi, David Meidan, Chipokota Mwanawasa, and Gaetano Quagliariello, with a concluding speech by the Minister of University and Research, Anna Maria Bernini.
The second day was dedicated to exploring themes related to the enhancement of the Mediterranean’s artistic and cultural heritage, focusing on the role of culture as a driver of dialogue and cohesion between the region’s diverse shores. Distinguished personalities such as Marco Betta, Pietrangelo Buttafuoco, Valentino Catricalà, alongside Francesca Maria Corrao, Simonetta Giordani, and Bahija Simou participated. The Minister of Culture, Alessandro Giuli, contributed to the event before its conclusion, which was entrusted to Marco Minniti, Chariman of the Med-Or Italian Foundation, interviewed by Myrta Merlino.
