Advance Regional Climate Diplomacy Workshop 2025
22 July 2025
On 15 – 17 July 2025, the International Centre for Black Sea Studies (ICBSS) joined the EcoPeace Middle East in organising successfully the Advance Regional Climate Diplomacy Workshop 2025 edition.
The workshop was part of the Climate Diplomacy for Young Professionals – CDYP, a training programme, co-funded by Sida and other donors, and implemented by EcoPeace Middle East, with the aim to promote dialogue and knowledge for climate and water security for societies and countries across regions. The CDPY includes capacity building activities tailor-made for young water professionals and policy scientists.
For a second consecutive year, the ICBSS – EcoPeace synergy built on the common
characteristics and challenges the Black Sea and the Middle East regions face, especially amidst unprecedented outbreaks of violence. Two special sessions on the wider Black Sea region, with the participation of policy stakeholders and researchers from the region, highlighted good practices of multilateral cooperation, dialogue and knowledge exchange in the Black Sea, building on the experience of regional research projects and cooperation networks.
The event gathered 75 young scientists and environment advocates that delved into the meaning of climate diplomacy for policy advocacy and awareness raising. Through hands-on training and interactive sessions, participants exchanged with peers from the Middle East and the Black Sea and learnt about the shared realities of the two regions, including how to address the rising sociopolitical and environmental crises.
In the sidelines of the workshop, the ICBSS Director General, Mr. Georgios Mitrakos, and the EcoPeace Middle East Director, Ms. Nada Majdalani, signed a Memorandum of Understanding that contextualises and reaffirms the long-established partnership between the two institutions while giving impetus for further joint actions for cooperation and confidence building; to overcome common challenges, raise awareness and initiate action for common good.
The EcoPeace Middle East is an NGO that brings together environmentalists from the Middle East. Its primary objective is the promotion of cooperative efforts to protect the shared environmental heritage. In so doing, EcoPeace seeks to advance both sustainable regional development and the creation of necessary conditions for lasting peace in the region.
