TRANSFORMED launched its kick-off meeting to strengthen participatory governance by empowering local authorities and civil society to co-design more inclusive, community-driven policies.
Alexandria, Egypt 1-2 February 2026
Communities across the Mediterranean are set to benefit from more inclusive and participatory local decision-making, as five partners from Cyprus, Egypt, Greece, Italy, and Lebanon officially launched TRANSFORMED in Alexandria, Egypt, on 1-2 February 2026. The EU-funded project, supported under the Interreg NEXT MED Programme, brings together local authorities and civil society organisations to ensure that the people most affected by public policies have a real say in shaping them.
TRANSFORMED Kick-Off Meeting Brings Together Regional Authorities, Civil Society, and Academic Representatives
TRANSFORMED Kick-Off Meeting Brings Together Regional Authorities, Civil Society, and Academic Representatives
The two-day Kick-Off Meeting brought together a distinguished group of participants, including representatives of the Managing Authority and Joint Secretariat of the Interreg NEXT MED Programme, H.E. Polly Ioannou, Ambassador of Cyprus to Egypt, and a representative from the European Cooperation Sector at Egypt’s Ministry of International Cooperation.
Local civil society organisations, including Care Egypt and the Supportive Homeland Association for Development, and media were also present. Academic representatives from Alexandria University and the Alexandria and Mediterranean Research Center also joined the discussions.
Different sessions were led by the five project partners, each bringing their unique expertise and added value to the table. The meeting served as a platform to inform all present parties, including the general public, about TRANSFORMED and its contextual importance in addressing social inclusion challenges across the Mediterranean through participatory tools. It also highlighted the project’s importance of bridging the gap between local authorities and civil society organisations ensuring that the people most affected by public policies have a real say in shaping them.
Building a Shared Direction for the Next Steps
Over the two days, partners identified the social inclusion challenges the project will tackle, explored opportunities for cross-border collaboration, and agreed on the foundations for the next months of joint work. The meeting set a clear tone for how TRANSFORMED intends to operate: with people, dialogue, knowledge sharing, and a participatory approach at its core as stated by Mohamed Hafez, TRANSFORMED Project Manager.
A key outcome of the meeting was agreeing on the next step. On 5-6 June 2026, TRANSFORMED will hold its first Community Engagement Symposium in Limassol, Cyprus, hosted by project partner EPILOGI. The Symposium is a gathering where local authorities, civil society actors, and community members sit together, share their experiences, and collectively shape the programmes being built for their communities. Across five countries, it will also be an opportunity to see and learn from what inclusive decision-making looks like when it actually works.
About The TRANSFORMED Project
TRANSFORMED, Fostering Transnational Knowledge for a More Inclusive and Participatory Mediterranean, will support local authorities and civil society organisations in co-designing community-driven programmes, sharing successful governance models, and strengthening the capacity of local actors to better respond to the needs of their communities.
The project is led by Anna Lindh Foundation (Egypt), the project brings together four partners: International Committee for the Development of Peoples (Italy), Cultural Movement of Limassol EPILOGI (Cyprus), Rene Moawad Foundation (Lebanon), and Youth Center of Epirus (Greece). The total budget is €1.1 million, with 89% co-funded by the European Union.
For more information, visit the website: TRANSFORMED Project
For project enquiries: Egypt: mohammed.hafez@alfsecretariat.org – Cyprus: info@eaymc.org – Greece: youthcenterofepirus@yahoo.gr – Italy: francia@cisp-ngo.org – Lebanon: psaadeh@rmf.org.lb
For press and communications enquiries: thouraya.bouchamia@alfsecretariat.org mariam.elgiziry@alfsecretariat.org
The contents of this press release are the sole responsibility of the Anna Lindh Foundation and its partners and can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of the European Union or the Programme management structures.
Last Update
04/05/2026
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