It has become tradition in the Mediterranean to celebrate the Coast Day on 25 September, after it had first been organised in 2007. Its main purpose is to raise awareness of the importance of the coast as both natural and economic resource, as well as to warn of the risks it is exposed to due to natural phenomena and human actions. ICZM is extensively promoted as the optimal policy framework for achieving sustainable development of coastal areas.
This year, the regional Mediterranean celebration will take place in Tunisia, on the coast of the gulf of Tunis, hosted by the Tunisian Ministry of Equipment, Spatial Planning and Sustainable Development. PAP/RAC will coordinate the organisation of the event working in close cooperation with APAL (Agence de Protection et d’Aménagament du Littoral – Coastal Protection and Planning Agency), at the head of a multiparty Organising Committee consisting of APAL personnel and representatives of various national environmental bodies and international institutions. Climate variability and change and integrated coastal zone management will be the central topics of this year’s celebration.
A conference will be held in the morning with high-level representatives of the Tunisian Government, international organisations, international experts and the civil society, to share regional experiences on matters related to the selected topics, where the host of the event will be H.E. Mr. Mounir Majdoub, Tunisian Secretary of State for Sustainable Development. In the afternoon, a public event will be organised with local NGOs, associations and schools, in the form of a forum, where people will be allowed to share their experiences, meet people and hear various experts, in a more relaxed atmosphere, and discuss themes related to adaptation to climate change with a motto: It’s a good climate for change!
