The M.A.R.K.A.T.O. project . – Maintaining And Revitalizing Knowledge And Traditional Occupations -  was presented some days ago, at HubOut in Matera. It is a cross-border cooperation initiative funded by the Interreg VI-A Greece–Italy Programme 2021–2027 and co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), under Specific Objective RSO4.6 dedicated to culture and sustainable tourism.

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).