Babelmed is a

non profit organisation A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

established in

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

in April 2001. Its main objective is to promote cultural exchanges between the countries surrounding the

Mediterranean Sea The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the ea ...

and to spread information and ideas around the area. In 2002, the association launched Babelmed.net, which aims to be a link between people, events and cultural production in the Mediterranean and to provide independent information on a range of issues. It is run by a central editorial team in Rome and a network of 17 correspondents around the

Mediterranean Basin In biogeography, the Mediterranean Basin (; also known as the Mediterranean Region or sometimes Mediterranea) is the region of lands around the Mediterranean Sea that have mostly a Mediterranean climate, with mild to cool, rainy winters and w ...

Philosophy

The name "babelmed" refers to the Mediterranean "med" and its

cultural diversity Cultural diversity is the quality of diverse or different cultures, as opposed to monoculture, the global monoculture, or a homogenization of cultures, akin to cultural evolution. The term "cultural diversity" can also refer to having different cu ...

"babel". "Bab" is also the Arabic word for "door". Languages featured on the site are mainly French and English, and partly Arabic. Articles in the different country sections are presented in their original languages. The organisation's output emphasises the close connections between

Western Europe Western Europe is the western region of Europe. The region's countries and territories vary depending on context. The concept of "the West" appeared in Europe in juxtaposition to "the East" and originally applied to the ancient Mediterranean ...

an countries and Muslim Mediterranean countries through history, cultural roots, and mutual fertilisation of music, literature and films, on the basis that the cultural dimensions of these broad subjects plays a key role towards improving mutual understanding and reducing tensions.

Content

Babelmed focuses on

culture Culture () is an umbrella term which encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, customs, capabilities, and habits of the individuals in these groups.Tyl ...

, broadly defined. The content of the site is divided into several sections: cultural agenda, press review, features, creations and archives. Each section is then divided into sub-sections such as Visual Arts,

Performing arts The performing arts are arts such as music, dance, and drama which are performed for an audience. They are different from the visual arts, which are the use of paint, canvas or various materials to create physical or static art objects. Perform ...

, Literature, and so on. The site also contains on-line and interactive exhibitions, such as "Syria, in the eyes of Europe, or "The sense of commerce". Social and political issues are covered from a cultural point of view, attempting to promote cross-cultural understanding of national or local phenomena. Permanent sections deal with specific themes: Films, Books and CDs, Impressions, Travels, Cooking Chronicles, Poetry, Geoart. The content of the site is also available by country, with a research engine to help find specific articles on the site from their source. The site also carries features on the central issues of Mediterranean cultures, sorted by main themes (women, migration, war, cuisine, for example) or by geographical locations.

Editorial line

Babelmed's main goal is to provide politically-independent information on cultural issues in the Mediterranean region. It is an independent organisation that does not belong to any

media group A media conglomerate, media group, or media institution is a company that owns numerous companies involved in mass media enterprises, such as music, television, radio, publishing, film, motion pictures, theme parks, or the Internet. According t ...

and has no link with any political, professional or religious body. It operates with subsidies from foundations promoting cultural dialogue and

freedom of expression Freedom of speech is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or a community to articulate their opinions and ideas without fear of retaliation, censorship, or legal sanction. The right to freedom of expression has been recogni ...

around the Mediterranean. The organisation has partnerships with more than 300 cultural institutions in the Mediterranean, such as

Publishing houses Publishing is the activity of making information, literature, music, software and other content available to the public for sale or for free. Traditionally, the term refers to the creation and distribution of printed works, such as books, newsp ...

, media, cultural institutions, museums, festivals, Independent places of creation and performance. Other links have been developed with sites such as Medi1, Confluences Méditerranée, Actes Sud, Radio Orient, and

Qantara.de Qantara.de (Classical Arabic: ', meaning "bridge") is an Internet portal in German, English, and Arabic, produced by Deutsche Welle in order to promote intercultural dialogue between the Western and Islamic worlds. The portal was founded on the ...

References

Prix Europa {{notability, Events, date=March 2021 PRIX EUROPA – The European Broadcasting Festival – is the Europe's largest annual tri-medial festival and competition. The event takes place in the third week of October in Berlin, Germany. PRIX E ...

2007's website, Babelmed.net is nominated as "best European website

* Few articles from Babelmed available on the GERM's websit

* "Immigration subsaharienne et droits de l'homme en Algérie", article from Babelmed.net edited on Algeria Watch, 16.04.200

* Interview with Mohamed Saïb Musette, edited on Algeria Watch, 16.04.200

* Interview with Halal Galal, edited on Euro-Mediterranean Partnership, Euromed Héritage's website, 14.03.200

* Program of Arab and European Babelmed journalists' meeting, 05.05.2006, on Euro-Mediterranean Partnership, Euromed Héritage's websit

* "Young Syrians and Lebanon", article from babelmed edited on The Arabist website, 17.12.200

* Interview with

Amira Hass Amira Hass ( he, עמירה הס; born 28 June 1956) is an Israeli journalist and author, mostly known for her columns in the daily newspaper ''Haaretz'' covering Palestinian affairs in the West Bank and Gaza, where she has lived for almost th ...

by a babelmed journalist, edited on Qantara.de in 200

* "A Myth Rebuilt in Alexandria", article from Babelmed, available from Fondation Anna Lindh's websit

* "Alger la blanche noyée dans le béton", by Daikha Dridi, article from babelmed.net edited in

Courrier International ''Courrier International'' ( French for "International Mail") is a Paris-based French weekly newspaper which translates and publishes excerpts of articles from over 900 international newspapers. It also has a Portuguese and a Japanese edition. '' ...

, n°729 - 21 octobre 200

French) * "Menaces sur le patrimoine de Tripoli au Liban" by Antonia Naim, linked on Patrimoine Sans Frontières' websit

* Geocities link to numerous articles from Babelmed about

Malta Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...

in 2002-200

* The Multicultural Skycraper newsletter, 06.06.2003, refers to Babelmed.ne

* Newsletter of the Delegation of the

European Commission The European Commission (EC) is the executive of the European Union (EU). It operates as a cabinet government, with 27 members of the Commission (informally known as "Commissioners") headed by a President. It includes an administrative body o ...

Syria Syria ( ar, سُورِيَا or سُورِيَة, translit=Sūriyā), officially the Syrian Arab Republic ( ar, الجمهورية العربية السورية, al-Jumhūrīyah al-ʻArabīyah as-Sūrīyah), is a Western Asian country loc ...

about the exhibition "Syrie, Eclats d'un mythe", March/April 200

* Newsletter of the

, 12.12.200

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External links

Babelmed.net
Environmental organisations based in Italy French-language mass media Arts organisations based in Italy Italian journalism organisations