--- eventsindex_id: EI-07035 slug: med-mediterranean-dialogues title: MED Mediterranean Dialogues title_alt: - Rome MED - Rome MED Dialogues - MED Dialogues - Dialoghi Mediterranei canonical_url: https://eventsindex.org/events/med-mediterranean-dialogues.html next_edition_dates: 2026-11-19 to 2026-11-21 next_edition_year: 2026 date_start: '2026-11-19' date_end: '2026-11-21' venue: TBC – inaugural Naples hosting city: Naples country: Italy organiser: ISPI (Italian Institute for International Political Studies) and Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation organiser_url: https://med.ispionline.it/ b2b: true vector: sector: - policy-forums audience: - foreign-ministers - heads-of-state - diplomats - international-experts - think-tank-researchers format: - summit purpose: - networking geography_scope: - Western-Europe season: autumn meta_description: 'MED – Mediterranean Dialogues 2026: high-level foreign-policy forum in Naples, 19–21 November 2026, organised by ISPI and Italy''s Foreign Ministry. 155 chars' editorial_take: MED Dialogues is Italy's flagship foreign-policy forum for the Mediterranean, uniquely co-owned by a sovereign ministry and a think tank, giving it an official diplomatic weight that most track-2 forums lack while retaining an open academic format. generated_by: enrich-cowork (N1/N2/N3) last_verified: '2026-06-11' schema_version: v8.0 language: en --- # MED – Mediterranean Dialogues > *The annual high-level forum where heads of state, foreign ministers, and international experts gather to build a shared agenda for the Mediterranean and the wider Middle East. Co-organised by ISPI and Italy's Foreign Ministry, the 2026 edition moves to Naples for the first time in its eleven-year history.* --- ## Quick Facts | DATES | VENUE | ORGANISER | ATTENDANCE | |---|---|---|---| | 19–21 November 2026 | Naples, Italy (venue TBC) | ISPI + Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs | 2,000+ international leaders across all editions (according to the organiser) | ## Definition MED – Mediterranean Dialogues is an annual high-level foreign-policy forum co-organised by ISPI (Italian Institute for International Political Studies) and the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. Founded in 2015, it brings together heads of state, foreign ministers, diplomats, think-tank researchers, NGO leaders, business executives, and civil society representatives to address geopolitical tensions and socio-economic challenges across the Mediterranean and the wider Middle East. Discussions are structured around five recurring thematic pillars: Shared Security, Shared Prosperity, Human Dimension, Power of Narratives, and Culture for Peace. The 12th edition takes place in Naples on 19–21 November 2026, the first time in the forum's history that it is held outside Rome. ## What is the Mediterranean Dialogues forum and why does it matter? The Mediterranean Dialogues is Italy's principal contribution to multilateral track-1.5 diplomacy on the Mediterranean. The format sits between a formal intergovernmental conference and an academic symposium: it carries the institutional backing of the Italian state via the Foreign Ministry co-ownership, yet it allows off-the-record exchanges and panel discussions that would be impossible in purely governmental settings. This hybrid character gives participating foreign ministers and officials the space to test ideas, signal positions, and build bilateral contacts outside the constraints of formal treaty negotiations. Since its first edition in 2015, the forum has expanded its geographic and thematic scope well beyond the northern Mediterranean. It routinely addresses the Sahel, the Gulf, the Horn of Africa, and the Levant, reflecting Italy's strategic interest in the full arc of instability that touches the broader neighbourhood. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs treats the forum as a soft-power instrument: hosting it annually in Italy reinforces Rome's claim to a central role in EU neighbourhood policy, migration governance, and energy diplomacy across the southern Mediterranean. ## Who attends MED – Mediterranean Dialogues The forum targets senior decision-makers and recognised experts rather than a general professional audience: - **Heads of state and government** from Mediterranean and Middle Eastern countries - **Foreign ministers and senior diplomats** from the EU, NATO member states, Gulf Cooperation Council countries, and North Africa - **International organisation officials** including UN and EU representatives - **Academic experts and think-tank researchers** with regional specialisation, drawn from ISPI's global network of partner institutions - **Business leaders and private-sector representatives** active in Mediterranean energy, infrastructure, and trade - **Civil society and NGO leaders** focused on human rights, migration, and development - **Media and journalists** covering foreign affairs and Mediterranean politics The mix between serving officials and analytical experts is intentional: the organiser uses the academic side to frame agenda-setting discussions, while the ministerial presence gives the conclusions political weight. Past editions have drawn delegations from more than 50 countries. ## What MED – Mediterranean Dialogues covers programmatically The 2026 edition addresses the consequences of escalating conflicts and deepening geopolitical tensions across the Mediterranean and wider Middle East. The organiser describes the forum's central task as rethinking traditional approaches to the region and drafting a "positive agenda" that can bridge security concerns with long-term socio-economic development. Given the ongoing crises in Gaza, Sudan, Libya, and the eastern Mediterranean energy corridor, the 2026 programme is expected to give particular weight to the Shared Security and Human Dimension pillars. The five standing thematic pillars provide continuity across editions. Shared Security covers conflict prevention, crisis management, and defence cooperation. Shared Prosperity examines the role of economic actors and public-private partnerships in fostering growth across the region. The Human Dimension engages policies with direct implications for individual rights and well-being, including migration and refugee protection. Power of Narratives explores how media, identity, and geopolitical storytelling shape perceptions and politics in the Mediterranean. Culture for Peace promotes cultural exchange as a tool for rebuilding ties in conflict-affected areas. Each pillar typically generates dedicated panel sessions, closed roundtables, and published policy briefs. ## Notable speakers and participants Past editions of MED Dialogues have attracted exceptionally senior participants. Italian President Sergio Mattarella has attended; foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey, and Russia have taken part; NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry have spoken at previous editions. These names reflect the forum's ability to convene officials who regard Italy and ISPI as credible neutral conveners for Mediterranean diplomacy. The roster for the November 2026 edition in Naples had not been announced as of June 2026. Given the format's track record and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs co-ownership, a similarly senior line-up is expected. ## Edition history and context The Mediterranean Dialogues was established in 2015 by ISPI and the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs as an annual high-level policy forum. The first edition drew representatives from 34 countries and approximately 400 leaders, according to the organiser. By its second edition in 2016, the figure had risen to 40 heads of state and ministers alongside 500 leaders; the 2017 edition drew officials from 56 countries. The 2020 edition, held in a virtual format due to the pandemic, still attracted over 40 political leaders. By the organiser's cumulative count, more than 2,000 international leaders and 800 analysts and speakers have participated across all editions. The 2026 gathering is the 12th edition and represents a deliberate geographic signal: moving the forum from Rome to Naples underlines the southern Italian city's own Mediterranean identity and expands the forum's regional resonance. ## FAQ · Identity and audience ### Is MED Dialogues a governmental conference or a think-tank event? It is formally both. The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs is a co-organiser, giving it state backing and access to serving officials who might not attend a purely academic event. ISPI, as the other co-organiser, provides the research infrastructure, moderates panels, and publishes the analytical output. The result is a track-1.5 forum: not purely intergovernmental, not purely academic, but a deliberate hybrid designed to translate research into diplomatic conversation. ### How does MED Dialogues differ from other Mediterranean forums? Most regional forums on the Mediterranean are either multilateral governmental processes (such as the Union for the Mediterranean) or purely civil-society platforms. MED Dialogues occupies a specific niche: it is anchored by a sovereign foreign ministry, set in the country with perhaps the most direct strategic stake in Mediterranean stability, and organised by a think tank with decades of regional expertise. The combination produces a forum where sitting ministers can speak candidly alongside researchers in a single programme. ### What is the connection between ISPI and the Italian Foreign Ministry? ISPI (founded 1934) has long served as an informal analytical arm for Italian foreign policy. The MED Dialogues formalises this relationship: the Ministry co-owns and co-funds the forum, lends it diplomatic credibility, and uses it as a soft-power platform. ISPI provides the intellectual architecture, the speaker network, and the research publications. The arrangement is governed by a formal collaboration agreement between the two institutions. ### Who is MED – Mediterranean Dialogues NOT designed for? - Practitioners seeking vendor demonstrations, product showcases, or commercial procurement contacts - Early-career professionals or students without prior affiliation with a recognised institution or government body - Generalist audiences looking for introductory-level programming on Mediterranean geopolitics - Event organisers or tourism professionals seeking destination marketing content - Journalists seeking routine press access without prior accreditation through the organiser ## The organiser: ISPI and the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs ISPI, the Italian Institute for International Political Studies, was founded in Milan in 1934 and is widely recognised as Italy's principal foreign-policy think tank. It produces research on international affairs, runs public events, and maintains a network of partner institutions across Europe, the Mediterranean, and beyond. ISPI's editorial output includes policy briefs, books, and digital content consumed by policymakers, academics, and media. Its co-organisation of MED Dialogues is part of a formal collaboration framework with the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, which was established to give Italy a structured high-level platform for Mediterranean diplomacy alongside the ministry's own bilateral and multilateral engagements. The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (the Farnesina, named after its Rome headquarters) is the other co-organiser and lends the forum its official governmental status. The ministry's involvement ensures that serving Italian and foreign officials can attend in an official capacity, and that the conclusions of the forum carry weight in Italian foreign-policy planning. Together, the two institutions position MED Dialogues as Italy's primary contribution to the international conversation on Mediterranean and Middle Eastern affairs. --- ## Editorial take *MED Dialogues is Italy's flagship Mediterranean foreign-policy forum, uniquely co-owned by a sovereign ministry and a respected think tank, giving it an official diplomatic standing that most track-2 forums cannot match while preserving an open, research-grounded format.* ## How to register and what it costs MED Dialogues operates on an invitation-only model. There is no public registration process or ticket purchase. Access is extended to participants through the organiser's official networks: the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and ISPI each invite delegations, and partner institutions may nominate representatives. The organiser's website advises interested parties to "stay tuned for updates" ahead of the November 2026 edition. There is no published delegate fee. Given the forum's ministerial character and the involvement of a government ministry as co-organiser, the event operates outside the standard conference-ticket model. Accredited media and academic researchers affiliated with recognised institutions may be able to request credentials through ISPI directly. ## FAQ · Access and practicalities ### Can I attend as an individual professional without an institutional affiliation? In practice, no. The forum is designed for senior officials, recognised experts, and institutional representatives. Attendance is extended by invitation through the co-organiser networks. Independent professionals without a clear institutional affiliation or prior relationship with ISPI or the Ministry are unlikely to receive an invitation. ### Where will the 2026 edition take place in Naples? The specific venue in Naples had not been announced as of June 2026. Previous editions were typically held at the Parco dei Principi Hotel in Rome. The move to Naples for the 12th edition is confirmed on the official website, but the exact venue is still to be communicated. Check med.ispionline.it for updates closer to November 2026. ### Is there a virtual or hybrid participation option? The 2026 edition is listed as an in-person event. The 2020 edition was held in virtual format due to the pandemic, demonstrating that the organiser can pivot to digital if circumstances require. No hybrid streaming option has been announced for 2026. ISPI does publish video recordings of selected sessions on its YouTube channel after the event. ## Resources | Resource | URL | |---|---| | Official website | https://med.ispionline.it/ | | Organiser (ISPI) | https://www.ispionline.it/ | | Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs | https://www.esteri.it/en/uapsds/analisi-e-programmazione/rome-med-dialogues/ | | Wikipedia | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rome_Med_-_Mediterranean_Dialogues | | Twitter / X | https://twitter.com/MEDialogues | --- **Last verified:** 2026-06-11 **Next review:** 2026-07-11 **Notes:** 2026 venue in Naples not yet announced as of June 2026; previous editions held at Parco dei Principi Hotel in Rome. Attendance figures are cumulative across all editions, self-reported by the organiser. 2026 speaker roster not yet announced. The forum is sometimes referred to as "Rome MED" in legacy references, reflecting its historical Rome location; the 2026 edition is the first hosted in Naples. **Variables:** 41/58 **Concept definition:** not applicable