The Center for the Study of the Mediterranean – Middle East Policy and Civilization (C.S.M.ME.P.C.) is created as a reaction to the crisis but also as an answer to the need of constructively interacting with the Mediterranean and Middle eastern milieu. SCMMEPC is an initiative, which is implemented in its natural context, namely the Mediterranean Studies Department of the University of the Aegean, the only University Department in Greece dealing with the Mediterranean. The members of the Center come from the human resources of the DMS, that is the Teaching and Scientific Staff of the DMS, as well as students of undergraduate and postgraduate programs and doctoral candidates of the Department of Mediterranean Studies.
The Center for the Study of Mediterranean – Middle East Policy and Civilization (C.S.M.ME.P.C.) will post material every two months and aspires to be a useful tool for understanding, analyzing and synthesizing everything that happens in the Mediterranean region and the Greater Middle East, two subsystems which are interconnected in many ways, developing a relation of “communicating vessels”. It is a region with rich history, the cradle of human civilization, and the space where this civilization evolved. Besides, the Mediterranean and the Greater Middle East do not only hold a historical interest. On the contrary, they continue to be in the forefront of international interest due to their geopolitical, geo-economic, geostrategic and geocultural importance
Today in the Mediterranean and the Greater Middle East all the problems, every challenge and every kind of process of interaction, which occurs is caused by open regional conflicts, security issues, problems of environmental security, the action of every kind of systemic and non systemic factor, ideological and political differences, opposing stakes. At the same time relations of cooperation and rivalry are developing, while cultural differences are deepening and lead to intense controversy. Nevertheless, the dialogue among civilizations and religions has to continue, with the aim of focusing on common elements, so as to achieve the coveted peaceful coexistence.
All the above, and many other issues should be addressed by the Greek international relations specialists in a way free from the widespread stereotypes, which are usually evoked when vital areas of the Greater Middle East and North Africa are discussed.
Scientific director of the SCMMEPC
Dr VIvi Kefala
Professor of International Relations in the Middle East
Department of Mediterranean Studies
University of the Aegean
To visit the SCMMEPC website click here
