The RECIRCLE MED project proudly participated in the 2nd Community Meeting of the Sustainable Tourism Mission, held on 1–2 October 2025 at the University of Tirana (Albania).
Organized by the Community4Tourism (C4T) project on behalf of the Interreg Euro-MED Sustainable Tourism Mission, the event brought together more than one hundred representatives from Mediterranean initiatives, governance and thematic projects. Over two days, participants exchanged knowledge, shared innovative practices, and explored new ways to advance sustainable tourism models across the Mediterranean.
The meeting opened with welcoming remarks from Prof. Asoc. Dr. Bernard Dosti of the University of Tirana, Pascale Fauveau-Lagaye from the Interreg Euro-MED Joint Secretariat, and Josep Rodriguez from the Barcelona Provincial Council, lead partner of the Community4Tourism project. The introductory session was followed by updates on the ongoing work of the two governance projects, Community4Tourism and Dialogue4Tourism, which jointly coordinate the activities of the Sustainable Tourism Mission. Together, these initiatives aim to strengthen cooperation, promote innovation, and enhance institutional capacity to make Mediterranean tourism greener, smarter, and more resilient.
Throughout the meeting, participants took part in interactive discussions, networking sessions, thematic clusters and workshops designed to foster collaboration among thematic projects. The agenda featured several thematic panels on innovation, circular economy, climate change adaptation, and biodiversity conservation, as well as a dedicated capacity-building session focused on sustainable tourism practices. These activities provided an invaluable opportunity for participants to share methodologies, identify synergies, and co-create future strategies within the Mission framework.
RECIRCLE MED contributed actively to the panel discussions focusing on circular economy by presenting its integrated approach to embedding circular and blue economy principles within Mediterranean tourism value chains.
The project highlighted its ongoing efforts to promote resource efficiency, encourage waste reduction and reuse, and ensure the sustainable management of local natural and cultural assets. This contribution resonated strongly with the Sustainable Tourism Mission’s overarching goal of mainstreaming circularity into the tourism sector, inspiring coordinated action and knowledge exchange across Mediterranean territories.
The second day of the meeting hosted the MED Clusters Annual Meeting, where project representatives worked in smaller breakout sessions focused on innovation, circular economy, climate change, and biodiversity.
As a member of the Circular Economy Thematic Cluster, RECIRCLE MED, shared insights and worked together with other projects on how to make tourism models more regenerative and inclusive to assist the transition to a circular and resource-efficient economy. The event concluded with updates from the Interreg Euro-MED Academy, led by UNIMED and El Legado Andalusí, which presented new opportunities for training, co-creation, and collaboration among the Mission’s partners.
Beyond the formal sessions, the meeting in Tirana also provided a valuable moment for the RECIRCLE MED partners to meet face-to-face, exchange experiences, and strengthen collaboration within the project. The event reaffirmed the importance of collective action and mutual learning in driving sustainable transformation across the Mediterranean tourism sector.
Through its active involvement in the Sustainable Tourism Community, RECIRCLE MED continues to contribute to building a circular, resilient, and inclusive tourism model for the Mediterranean, one that benefits local communities, visitors, and the environment alike.
