Muharem Rusiti
December 2024
Each year, the city of Lugano, in southern Switzerland, becomes a crossroads of ideas,
perspectives, discussions, and ambitions as it hosts the Middle East Mediterranean (MEM)
Summit. This initiative, first launched by the Università della Svizzera italiana (USI) in 2018 with the support of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), transcends geographical and cultural boundaries, offering a unique platform for dialogue and collaboration.
Over the years, the MEM Summit has steadily established itself as a pivotal event, bringing together a diverse array of voices from across the Middle East and Mediterranean regions, fostering constructive conversations among academics, emerging thought leaders, government officials, diplomats, journalists, and civil society representatives.
The Summit’s setting in Switzerland – a nation celebrated globally for its neutrality and high degree of credibility in peacebuilding and peace promotion – is no coincidence. This serene yet dynamic environment, coupled with its informal yet structured approach, encourages frank, open, and solution-oriented discussions. Free from the distractions of geopolitical tension and the rigidity of formal protocol, participants engage in workshops, debates, panel discussions, and networking sessions designed to bridge divides and catalyze cooperation on shared challenges. The MEM Summit is conceived not as a forum for grandstanding but as a laboratory of ideas and debates, focusing on practical strategies to address regional complexities, promote peaceful coexistence,
and inspire transformation.
Another aspect that sets the MEM Summit apart is its emphasis on fostering enduring personal relationships beyond the event itself. Through its innovative format, the Summit prioritizes active participation, enabling attendees to co-create actionable frameworks for sustainable collaboration. Furthermore, its commitment to inclusivity ensures that emerging voices – often overshadowed in traditional diplomatic settings – are heard, bringing fresh perspectives and innovative solutions to both longstanding and emerging challenges.
Looking ahead, the MEM Summit has the potential to evolve into something even more impactful or serve as an inspiration and be replicated elsewhere. As the world grapples with diverse and complex local and global challenges, there is an increasing need for platforms that can genuinely bring people together and foster dialogue. And the MEM Summit could undoubtedly serve as a model and inspire other similar initiatives, offering a space where participants from diverse regions and backgrounds can assemble, interact, address pressing issues, and explore collaborative solutions.
In the near future, the MEM Summit could hence possibly further expand its scope to include an even broader spectrum of topics and participants, enhancing its role as a catalyst for positive change. By building on its current success, the summit possesses the potential and credentials to become a cornerstone of global diplomacy, dialogue, and cooperation.
Below is an excerpt from the keynote speech delivered by Swiss Federal Councilor and Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) H.E. Ignazio Cassis, at the event in Lugano, which somehow summarizes the spirit that defines the MEM Summit:
“Ladies and gentlemen, I firmly believe that we must maintain dialogue until the weapons have been silenced. [...] We must continue to work together for peace, for security, for our common humanity. [...] We must not give up! “We”, the government representatives in office, but also you, the future leaders of this world… A world we would like to see become a much better place, but which, despite all our efforts, is veering towards hatred and violence. [...] Dear Young Changemakers, Over the past few days here in Lugano, you have been discussing the state of the world, especially the situation in the Middle East, with the aim of bringing new ideas to the discussion, for the benefit of the most vulnerable people in the region. [...] Alongside the Israelis, the Palestinians and the countries of the region, Switzerland is ready to play its part in the difficult but essential peace process. [...] With its seven editions, the MEM Summit has proven its capacity to bring people together, foster dialogue and the exchange of ideas, form lasting networks, and encourage reconciliation within the next generation. Your ability to mobilise, to imagine new
possibilities, and to build bridges where others see only walls – in fact despite the walls – this is what we all need. You are not just the leaders of tomorrow; you are the catalysts for change today. [...]”
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