At the opening ceremony of Matera, Mediterranean Capital of Culture and Dialogue 2026, EcocNews interviewed Ms Dubravka ŠUICA, the European Union’s Commissioner for the Mediterranean. Below is the full text of her speech during the Opening.

With an opening ceremony attended by European Commissioners Raffaele Fitto and Dubravka ŠUICA, the city of Matera – which was European Capital of Culture in 2019 – is preparing to spend a year as the Mediterranean Capital of Culture and Dialogue.

Expressing oneself through the rhythm of percussion. Anyone can do it. After all, music, at the origins of the world, was born exactly this way—starting from sounds, at first random, then gradually more organized.

The Anna Lindh Foundation has published a call for proposals to support artistic projects in the two Mediterranean capitals of culture and dialogue for 2026, Matera (Italy) and Tetouan (Morocco).

The first official meeting between the Moroccan city and Matera, designated Mediterranean Capitals of Culture and Dialogue 2026 as part of the initiative promoted by the Union for the Mediterranean and the Anna Lindh Foundation, took place on Friday 12 and Saturday 13 December in Tétouan.