Medbridge

MedBridge
Motto A Bridge between Europe and the Middle-East
Founded 2003 (Belgium), 2004 (France)
Type Non-profit
NGO
Location
Services Conferences, Seminars, Visits, Exhibition
Fields Promoting dialogue and mutual understanding between Europe and the Middle-East
Key people
 Willy De Clercq, Marco Pannella, Ana Palacio, François Léotard, François Zimeray
Website www.medbridge.org

MedBridge is a European organization whose goal is to promote dialogue and mutual understanding between Europe and the Middle East.[1] Its aim is to enable Europeans willing to be informed on the Middle East or to support Israeli-Arab peace efforts, to access the most direct, comprehensive and objective information possible on the political situation in the region.

MedBridge has been registered as a French non-profit organization since 2004.[2] The organization was created by European leaders from different political backgrounds, such as Willy De Clercq, Marco Pannella, Ana Palacio, François Léotard and François Zimeray.[1][3]

Activities

Since its creation in 2003, the organization has initiated a dozen of international events. These include conferences, exhibitions, international meetings and visits of European parliamentarians and civil society representatives to the Middle East.[4]

Visits to the Middle East

Medbridge has organized visits to the Middle East for public leaders and decision-makers. About 500 parliamentarians, from 30 European countries, took part in these visits.[3][4]

According to Israeli diplomat Yigal Palmor,in October 2003 the organization gathered the largest European parliamentary delegation that has ever visited the region.[5] 160 parliamentarians from 28 countries took part in the visit.[6] In January 2008, the delegation accompanied another large delegation of 60 parliamentarians from 21 European countries.[7]

In addition to political visits, MedBridge has also initiated several visits for civil society representatives and opinion leaders. In June 2007, MedBridge organized a visit of French writers to the Middle-East in cooperation with Le Monde Magazine.[8]

People involved

Among the people who received the delegations of MedBridge are:[3][5][9]

Among the people who took part in the delegations are:[3][5][8][9][10]

Other activities

Mahmoud Abbas and François Zimeray during Parliaments for Peace in 2008.

Medbridge has organized several conferences. In the past important leaders such as Ehud Barak, Édith Cresson, Claude Goasguen, Antoine Sfeir, or Alexandre Adler took part in these.[3][11]

MedBridge has also organized exhibitions, among others at the French Senate.[3][4]

In 2005, MedBridge, in cooperation with the organization Hommes de Paroles, organized the first World Congress of Imams and Rabbis for Peace, gathering 100 imams and rabbis from all over the world under the patronage of Albert II of Belgium and Mohammed VI of Morocco.[3]

References

  1. 1 2 "Qui sommes-nous ?" [Who are we?]. Medbridge. 2011.
  2. ↑ Journal Officiel de la République Française (announcement 1064), April 10, 2004
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Title unknown (dead link)". Medbridge. Archived from the original on September 5, 2010.
  4. 1 2 3 "Initiatives: Tous les articles dans Initiatives" [All items in Initiatives]. Medbridge. Retrieved 28 November 2012.
  5. 1 2 3 Primor, Adar; Haaretz Correspondent (October 24, 2003). "European lawmakers to visit the region to promote understanding". Haaretz.
  6. ↑ "Une chance pour la paix" [A chance for peace]. MedBridge. 22 July 2003.
  7. ↑ Cojean, Annick (21 February 2008). "Visite express au Proche-Orient" [Express visit to the Middle East]. Le Monde.
  8. 1 2 "Voyage d’écrivains français en Israël et dans les Territoires palestiniens – 18 au 22 juin 2007" [Delegation of French Writers to the Middle-East – June 18 to 22, 2007]. MedBridge. 29 June 2007.
  9. 1 2 Mesguishe, Hanna (February 7, 2008). "Medbridge : Les parlementaires européens visitent la région" [MedBridge: MEPs visit the region]. Guysen News International.
  10. ↑ "Newsletter n°124 du 21 avril 2005 – Sommaire" [Newsletter No. 124 of 21 April 2005 – Summary]. Embassy of Israel in France. 21 April 2005.
  11. ↑ MedBridge (06-05-2009). Conference medbridge. Dailymotion. Check date values in: |date= (help)

External links

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