Latest news

4 June 2025

Addressing Challenges in Maritime Infrastructure & Connectivity in the Adriatic-Ionian Region - Crete, 7 May 2025

As part of the 10th EUSAIR Forum, the event “Addressing Challenges in Maritime Infrastructure & Connectivity in the Adriatic-Ionian Region: Chambers of...
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30 May 2025

YOUth SHAPE EU: Young Voices for Europe’s Future – Ancona, 28 May 2025

On 28 May 2025, the Faculty of Economics “Giorgio Fuà” in Ancona hosted the international youth event YOUth SHAPE EU – Bridging Borders, Building Belonging ,...
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29 May 2025

XIX Conference of Presidents/Speakers of AII Parliaments - Ioannina, 22-23 May 2025

The XIX Conference of Presidents and Speakers of Parliaments of the Adriatic & Ionian Initiative (AII) was held in Ioannina, Greece, on May 22-23, at a time...
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13 May 2025

ADRIATIC IONIAN COUNCIL – 10TH EUSAIR FORUM – CRETE, 6-7 MAY 2025

The 10 th Annual Forum of the EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region (EUSAIR) was held in Georgioupolis, Crete, on 6–7 May 2025 , under the slogan...
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6 May 2025

CRETE DECLARATION - 6 May 2025

The Crete Declaration has been adopted on the 6 of May 2025 by the high-level political representatives of the AII/EUSAIR participating countries following...
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16 April 2025

10th EUSAIR Annual Forum - 6-7 May 2025, Crete (Greece)

On behalf of the Hellenic Presidency of the EU Strategy for the Adriatic and lonian Region (EUSAIR) and the Adriatic-lonian Initiative, we are honored to...
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16 April 2025

Save the Date – Conference on Climate Resilience Policies for Coastal Cultural Heritage in the Adriatic-Ionian Region - 16–18 May 2025, Kastoria (Greece)

The Hellenic Ministry of Culture, in the framework of the Hellenic Chairmanship of the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative (AII) and the Hellenic Presidency of the EU...
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15 April 2025

AII Workshop on Decarbonization of the Shipping Industry and the Role of Ports in the Adriatic-Ionian Region - 29 April 2025, Piraeus (Greece)

Within the framework of the Greek Chairmanship of the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative (AII) (01.06.2024–30.05.2025), an event on “The decarbonisation of shipping...
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15 April 2025

Mostar Economic Forum 2025 - 9 April, Mostar (Bosnia-Herzegovina)

On 9 April 2025, the Mostar Economic Forum took place within the framework of the 26th International Economic Fair of Mostar (8–12 April), one of the most...
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Chairmanship

NORTH MACEDONIA
JUNE 2025
MAY 2026

WELCOME BY THE
SECRETARY GENERAL

Amb. Giovanni Castellaneta is the Secretary General of the Adriatic and Ionian Initiative, he was appointed to such position by the AII Ministers of Foreign Affairs gathered in the Adriatic and Ionian Council in Ioannina (11 May 2017) under the Hellenic Chairmanship.
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News from Interreg

Activities

SUSTAINABLE TOURISM AND CULTURE

SUSTAINABLE TOURISM AND CULTURE

BLUE GROWTH / MARITIME COOPERATION

BLUE GROWTH / MARITIME COOPERATION

TRANSPORTS AND ENERGY CONNECTIONS

TRANSPORTS AND ENERGY CONNECTIONS

PARLIAMENTARY DIMENSION

PARLIAMENTARY DIMENSION

ENVIRONMENTAL AND CIVIL PROTECTION

ENVIRONMENTAL AND CIVIL PROTECTION

INTER-UNIVERSITY COOPERATION

INTER-UNIVERSITY COOPERATION

Articles

We are glad to announce the launch of the 2nd edition of the Call for Ideas and Award Competition “IMAGINE” Active Young Citizens for Sustainable Development in Central European Initiative and Adriatic Ionian Initiative designed to stimulate the engagement of youth in the Central European Initiative and the Adriatic Ionian Initiative regions in the framework of the United Nations Agenda 2030for Sustainable Development.

The inclusion of San Marino to the EUSAIR is another step for the country to foster its European integration and regional cooperation with neighbouring EU Member States and candidate and potential candidate countries.

The AII Round Table on Inter-University cooperation “Higher Education challenges and responses in Covid-time: how university education has been reshaped in response to COVID-19 one year later”, organized by UniAdrion in cooperation with the Permanent Secretariat will take place on November 30th at 14.00-16.00 (online).

EU Enlargement has become more and more entangled with the issue of external relations in general and the future of the EU in particular. Although the European Council of Salonika in 2003 clearly set out a linear future for the Balkan countries, with the invitation to accede to the EU, skepticism has grown with time on the possibilities of successful integration. Continuous challenges to democratic transition in the Balkans and doubts on how to couple enlargement with deepening, together with debates on the rule of law inside the EU, have increased questions on EU integration.

In the meanwhile youth in the Balkans seems to be growing disenfranchised towards political institutions, while frustration is mounting regarding the possibility to enter the EU, which is perceived as a moving target. Many young people from the Balkans abandon their countries looking for a new life elsewhere, to fulfil their life goals. While the political process is stagnating, therefore, a spontaneous, individual, bottom-up process of self-integration is taking place, which however is developing without guidance or interaction with political institutions. At the same time, inside the EU, Balkan integration and the future of Europe are not perceived as linked matters by the wider public and policy makers have not yet signaled willingness to face them in a holistic approach.

Based on a proposal of the Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio, the conference held in Rome on 22-26 November brought together European youth to discuss common issues, face policymakers, and mobilise new energies from below, facilitating the emergence of a young transnational network to design new initiatives as well as foster fresh views on both the future of the EU and Balkan integration.

SG Amb. Giovanni Castellaneta joined the session on “EU enlargement, national and international policies" along with representatives from other key international and regional organisations. In this context Amb. Castellaneta emphasised that the Adriatic Ionian Initiative and the EUSAIR Strategy are further tools to promote the development of the Western Balkan area, which aims to enhance diversity by harmonizing them in an overall framework, facilitating political dialogue as a strategic contribution to accelerate the enlargement process. He also pointed out the joint activity with the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative “IMAGINE” Call for Ideas and Award Competition as a token of fruitful cooperation that benefits youth across the region (here the full speech).

The EU-Balkan Youth Forum came as a response to a proposal from the Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio, and was realised by the Regional Cooperation Council, the Regional Youth Cooperation Office, the Study Centre for International Politics and Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa, with the financial contribution of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

The Forum will also channel its conclusions to the “Conference on the Future of Europe” launched by the EU for 2021-2022, to allow citizens from across the continent to submit their views on the future of the EU.

The first AII Committee of Senior Officials under Albanian Chairmanship took place online on October 19th back to back with the first session of the 16th EUSAIR Governing Board.

  1. AII/EUSAIR CHAIRMANSHIP OF ALBANIAN - PROGRAMME
  2. CALL FOR 10 AII SCHOLARSHIPS FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS AT MARCHE POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY - ACADEMIC YEAR 2021/2022
  3. OPEN CALL – IMAGINE - ACTIVE YOUNG CITIZENS FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN CENTRAL EUROPEAN INITIATIVE AND ADRIATIC IONIAN INITIATIVE AREAS
  4. #EURegionsWeek - 11-14 October 2021