Beyond the process of globalisation, an epic is unfolding at the grass roots. Somebody wrote that the New Millennium started the 30 November 1999 in Seattle. For the "social majorities" (G.Esteva) still alive or waiting to be born on this planet, the hope of survival and flourishing lies in the creation of innovative ways to to regenerate old and new solidarities on the social, cultural and environmental levels.

A large number of people living on the shores of the Mediterranean share intimately the validity of these considerations and look for concrete ways to build partnership for a sustainable environment on the local and regional level. An enclosed environment which combines a maritime background with almost semi-arid conditions is a convincing instructor about the dependency relationship between people and nature. And as a perennial highway both of contest and exchange, the Mediterranean sea has strongly instilled in the peoples of the region a lively and vivid appreciation of the challenges and complexities of inter-dependence.

How to link the experience of NGOs, fair trade networks, local authorities, environmental groups, international agencies,etc. through concrete working partnership for the local regeneration of the environment in the Mediterranean is the subject of this workshop organised by CRIC – Centro regionale d’intervento per la cooperazione (Italy) and the Third World Group (Malta) in the framework of the project "Youth and Globalisation: proposals for the eco-building of a sustainable Mediterranean", co-financed by the Italian Ministry for Foreign Affairs – Cooperation department and the Maltese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and coordinated by COSPE (Italy).