A big event in Marseille for enhancing tourism and financial cooperation among Mediterranean countries
The « Routes of the Olive Tree » collaborators attended the Mediterranean Economic Week (5-8 November 2014 in Marseille, France), an event of major importance focusing on the future of tourism in the Mediterranean, new trends and proposals. The Mediterranean Economic Week attracted approximately 3.000 people involved in the tourism sector and represented the ideal opportunity for the Cultural Foundation to reinforce its Euromediterranean network with new members from the Mediterranean countries. Mrs. Marinella Katsilieri, ethnologist and scientific collaborator of the Foundation, made a presentation focusing on the perspectives of cultural and commercial cooperation in the broader region of the Mediterranean through the «Routes of the Olive Tree» itineraries. Concretely, she proposed ways to develop cooperation between cultural and social stakeholders, with the aim of promoting development efforts in their area of responsibility. Starting from the common challenges all contemporary local economies are facing and supporting the idea that «once commerce used to promote civilization, now it is the other way round », she argued in favor of the implementation of cultural events promoting traditional products and their history.
During his stay in Marseille, the Executive Director of the Foundation Mr. G. Karampatos met executives of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Marseille–Provence. Of special interest was his meeting with Mr. P. Boulanger, Director at the Department of Cultural Heritage & Historical Archives of the Chamber of Commerce of Marseille-Provence, concerning joint promotional actions on the Mediterranean cultural heritage of the olive tree, in benefit of olive oil producing regions.
