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In 2025, Tirana and Alexandria have been named the first Mediterranean Capitals of Culture and Dialogue, a title created by the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) in partnership with the Anna Lindh Foundation. The initiative, launched by the Euro-Mediterranean Ministers of Culture meeting in Barcelona in 2022, aims to transform intercultural dialogue into tangible experiences. Its goal is to foster cooperation through cultural projects, educational exchanges, and encounters between diverse communities.
The choice of Tirana and Alexandria is far from coincidental: Albania’s capital embodies an emerging, dynamic, and creative hub with a European outlook, while Alexandria brings with it the weight of millennia of history and an enduring international vocation.
Tirana: a cultural laboratory in transformation
Tirana has filled 2025 with a vibrant and varied cultural calendar. In February, the city hosted the Muhamet Malo International Wrestling Tournament, drawing athletes from around the globe. March saw Tirana Innovation Week, which spotlighted technology, startups, artificial intelligence, and smart cities, attracting professionals and young innovators alike.
June was packed with major events. From June 18–20, the city welcomed ALForum 2025, which brought together nearly 1,000 participants from 43 Mediterranean countries. The forum featured six plenary sessions, hundreds of parallel meetings, and numerous artistic performances. At the same time, the Tirana International Photo Festival, themed “Mediterranean,” transformed the city into an open-air gallery with workshops, guided photo tours, and exhibitions dedicated to Mediterranean landscapes and cultures. Closing the month, Sofra e Tiranës and Tirana Fest lit up Skanderbeg Square with music, performances, and family-friendly events.
This autumn, from September to October, the Tirana International Film Festival (TIFF) will take center stage, offering screenings, director talks, and premieres. International concerts and opera performances, including appearances by soprano Ermonela Jaho, will enrich the season further.
With this, Tirana reaffirms its ability to merge art, music, cinema, and innovation, while keeping a strong focus on young audiences and international cultural networks.
Alexandria of Egypt: a bridge between past and future
Alexandria of Egypt has presented an equally rich program, centered on historical heritage, social inclusion, and Mediterranean exchange. In April, the Bibliotheca Alexandrina hosted film screenings such as 30 Years of National Geographic Specials, alongside exhibitions on ancient Egyptian heritage. The same month also featured concerts, including the Egyptian–German Music Forum on April 11.
During the summer, the library remained the beating heart of cultural life. On July 4, it staged the concert Musical Creations with Wafik Adly and the Splendors Band, followed by film screenings.
In August, the Alexandria National Museum unveiled the exhibition Secrets of the Sunken City, showcasing treasures from the submerged ancient cities of Canopus and Heracleion. Featuring 86 artifacts – including statues, ceramics, and jewelry – the exhibition was paired with the reopening of a renovated library offering over 1,100 volumes and fully accessible spaces for visually impaired visitors.
From October through December, an open call invites artists and organizations to propose non-profit cultural events, with applications due by September 20. From October 1–30, Alexandria will also host the Alexandria Mediterranean Countries Film Festival, dedicated to cinema from across the region, featuring screenings and meetings with filmmakers.
In this way, Alexandria reasserts its role as a city that blends tradition with innovation, elevating the Bibliotheca as a cultural hub open to contemporary society and intercultural dialogue.
The value of intercultural dialogue
The title given to Tirana and Alexandria highlights the Mediterranean as a space of connections. Here, dialogue is not an abstract concept but is realized every day through the sharing of languages, histories and traditions. The 2025 Mediterranean Capitals of Culture and Dialogue program aims to create lasting networks. In fact, the two cities will host more than 400 total events, with school twinning, university exchanges, youth mobility programs and digital platforms to foster collaborations between students and researchers. More than 50 Mediterranean cultural and academic institutions are involved, and the project also includes touring activities in other cities in the region.
In a Mediterranean region often marked by political and social challenges, these initiatives provide a concrete opportunity to strengthen cultural and educational ties, proving that art, science and dialogue can indeed unite diverse peoples.
