The third edition of the Summer School "Mediterranean Weaves" concluded in Taranto

From the 23rd to 29th July, 2026, the third event of the Summer School "Mediterranean Weaves" was held in Taranto, promoted by Oikos Mediterraneo, Centre for the Integral Ecology of the Mediterranean, on the theme "Towards a new paradigm for professions". 

The initiative brought together students, teachers, researchers, professionals and representatives of institutions from different Mediterranean countries, including Italy, Turkey, Egypt, Palestine and India, offering a space for training, dialogue and interdisciplinary discussion. 

The Summer School opened with a video message from Sr. Alessandra Smerilli, Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, who invited the participants to read the new challenges of the Mediterranean carefully, to devote time to discernment and to deepen integral ecology as a criterion for every professional field. He also stressed the importance of not only adapting to changes, but of directing them towards the common good. 

During the week, topics related to work and professional skills, sustainability, social responsibility, international cooperation, and peacebuilding were addressed. The path highlighted the need for a new paradigm based not only on technical skills, but also on the care of people, relationships, and territories. 

The city of Taranto was an integral part of the experience. Through meetings and visits, the participants were able to learn about its history, cultural and environmental heritage, the wounds of the territory and the realities committed to its enhancement. In this context, Taranto presented itself as an open laboratory in which identity, vulnerability and cultural richness can become resources for imagining new paths of development. 

"This third event confirms Oikos Mediterraneo's desire to build a stable space for training, dialogue and planning between the different shores of the Mediterranean," said Br. Francesco Zecca, OFM, president of Oikos Mediterraneo. Amongst the speakers were Fr. Giuseppe Buffon, OFM, Rector Magnificus of the Pontifical University Antonianum, with a reflection on One Health, and Br. Andrea Bizzozero, OFM, Dean of the Faculty of Philosophy of the same University, on the theme of complexity in the light of integral ecology. 

Alessandra Morelli, a former senior UN official, recalled how the new paradigm of professions and hospitality must be based on the quality of relationships and the ability to build peace. In this perspective, the Mediterranean can once again become a space for encounter, mutual knowledge and dialogue between peoples and cultures. 

The third event ended with new relationships, project ideas and prospects for collaboration. The central moment was the delivery and signing of the Youth Manifesto for the Professions, developed by the participants during the days of the Summer School, as a sign of a shared commitment to a more sustainable, inclusive, and responsible professional future.