• October 30th, 2023

27th October 2023, Barcelona – We are ready for MedaWeek Barcelona 2023 -the Mediterranean Week of Economic Leaders-, the world’s leading event for the economical development of the Mediterranean region which gives voice to the private sector of the Mediterranean and worldwide. This year we will celebrate the 17th edition of this iconic conference, which will gather top speakers, companies, startups & entrepreneurs on the 15th and 16th of November in Llotja de Mar (Barcelona). Once again, this unique event has been jointly organized by the Association of the Mediterranean Chambers of Commerce and Industry (ASCAME) and the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Navigation, with the sponsorship of Digital Realty -the leading data center platform and a meeting place where companies, technologies and data come together- and with the collaboration of prominent Euro-Mediterranean organizations such as Union for the Mediterranean and European Institute of the Mediterranean, and other leading institutions like Consorci de la Zona Franca and Cámara de Comercio de España.

During two days, MedaWeek Barcelona will bring many trending topics to the table and serve as the flagship Mediterranean entrepreneurial-economic platform for the entire world. This conference becomes every year a unique opportunity to shake hands, network and establish business connections with the decision-makers, opening doors for different organizations and companies to the latest and most exciting regional projects. Furthermore, through talks, panels, workshops and networking sessions, MedaWeek Barcelona helps top business, industrial actors, investors and professionals understand changing trends across sectors, geographies and the functional silos in the Mediterranean economy and industry.

This year’s edition aims to cover four main objectives as a central axis:

  • Identify concrete, innovative solutions and trends that will shape the region and help its economic ecosystem move forward in the post COVID-19 and other new scenarios.
  • Create a common and innovative space that will serve as basic axis for the relationships’ development between both shores of the Mediterranean.
  • Promote the integration of the region to boost investments, exports, the creation of jobs and new companies, transformation and sustainability, having women and youth as priority actors.
  • Construct a common future between the two shores, based on new technologies, innovation, digital transformation, green and blue economies, renewable energy, health, tourism and sustainable food, among others.

 

MedaWeek 2023: The sessions of 15th November

MedaWeek Barcelona 2023 will kick off on the 15th of November with an official opening focusing on climate change. As we have seen this year, terrifying earthquakes in Turkey, Syria, Morocco, the latest floods in Libya, Greece and other countries, natural disasters require strong mechanisms for prevention, preparedness and management. The impact of climate change in the Mediterranean region causes loss between 5 and 15% of its GDP per year, the cost of not acting is very high, this should force the region to dedicate more to green financing. To coordinate efforts, private sector leaders from across the Mediterranean region must come together and shape a shared vision and design feasible and effective solutions to the challenges.

The next session will be ‘Mediterranean of Tomorrow’, an amazing conference that will explore the crucial role of connectivity and digitalization in shaping the future of the Mediterranean region. This session, powered by Digital Realty, will delve into the significance of submarine cables, which are the unsung heroes powering the digital revolution across these coastal nations. We will discuss the impact of enhanced connectivity on economic growth, innovation, and collaboration in the Mediterranean, while also addressing the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.

MedaWeek Barcelona 2023 will continue with two forums. On one hand, the 20th New Africa Business Development Forum, sponsored by Acció, which is the Catalan Government’s agency for business competitiveness, and the European Institute of the Mediterranean, which provides policy-oriented and evidence-based research underprinted by a genuine Euromed multidimensional and inclusive approach. This new edition of the forum will provide a platform for business and economic cooperation in the framework of the African Continental Free Trade Area. This forum includes two sessions towards an African digital economy, business and investment opportunities in this continent and an Africa’s investors talk.

On the other hand, we will enjoy the 15th Mediterranean Women Entrepreneurs Forum, in partnership with the Association of Organizations of Mediterranean Businesswomen -this association advises people, companies, institutions and organizations to generate, design policies, processes and strategies for equal opportunities- and in collaboration with EADA Business School. This forum will bring together leading businesswomen, global leaders, partners from the private and public sector and entrepreneurs from across the Mediterranean. They will identify sectorial opportunities and access to financing, to help ensure a more equitable and sustainable business ecosystem.

The sessions of 16th November

In the second day of MedaWeek Barcelona 2023, we will hold 5 forums where leaders from the Mediterranean region will debate on other current challenges:

  • 8th Mediterranean Islamic Finance Forum, sponsored by the General Council for Islamic Banks and Financial Institutions (CIBAFI), whose mission is to support the Islamic financial services industry growth by providing specific activities and initiatives that leverage current opportunities while preserving the value proposition of Islamic finance. In this session, Mediterranean leaders will examine how Islamic- finance can support the Mediterranean’s financial plans and economic development. They will focus on the opportunities presented by the growth of ethical, sustainable and responsible finance.
  • 3rd Mediterranean Healthcare Forum, in partnership with Barcelona Health Hub, which promotes innovation in digital health and its transfer to the sector, linking start-ups, health organizations, corporations and investors. This edition will focus on emergence and personalized medicine and digital data, the entry of disruptive and non-traditional competitors, the demand for expanded care delivery sites, and revamped payment and public funding models. The event will gather some of the most influential public and private leaders in the field from Europe, the Mediterranean and Africa.
  • 2nd Mediterranean Green & Blue Economy Forum, powered by the following institutions: Nactiva, the first natural capital market builder in Europe, Habitat World, a social organization for the sustainable development- of territories and the community of the third millenium, Grupo Érre, a group of companies based in the city of Braga with several business areas -from technologies to design and communication-, CREAF (Ecological and Forestry Applications Research Centre), a public research center dedicated to terrestrial ecology, territorial analysis and global change, Secartys, a non-profit business cluster with more than 400 associated companies in Spain, Port de Barcelona, the leading port in Spain for international traffic -more than 100 regular lines connect it with more than 200 ports on five continents-, and the University of Alexandria, one of the Top public universities in Egypt. This forum will focus on the challenges and business opportunities for the implication of cutting-edge technologies in the Mediterranean. It will be an ideal platform to bring together regional and global solutions and providers, and also the roadmap for the Mediterranean’s successful transition to a circular economy.

 

  • 7th Mediterranean Textile Forum, powered by the Barcelona Sustainable Fashion Association, which promotes and informs consumers and people involved in the fashion industry about the benefits of a paradigm shift where fashion is ethical and sustainable. This forum will present the keys to develop the textile sector into a more competitive, value-added, sustainable and knowledge-based industry. The debate will focus on the innovative and creative aspects of textile, to help deliver results such as a deeper- industrial partnership and better jobs.
  • Mediterranean tourism industry forum: Hospitality & Cruise. This session will explore how to develop the tourism ecosystem in a careful and considerate way that provides the right products and experiences to meet the demand of future visitors. The Mediterranean is the second largest cruise destination in the world but it has the potential to become the first inbound harbor, due to its excellent weather conditions that allow a long cruise season, and the attractiveness of its diversity of cultures and differentiated itineraries. The leading global cruise operators and companies are aware of this promising and strategic room for growth, and they have been positioning themselves in the region to achieve competitive advantages in this market. This session will be held with the support of Eurecat -the Technology Centre of Catalonia-, the main technology partner of the companies that operate in Catalonia, the International Hotel & Restaurant Association IHRA, the international trade association devoted to promoting and defending the interests of the hotel and restaurant industry worldwide, RLA Global, a boutique advisory specialized in resorts and destinations, Eco-Cruising Fu_Tour, which is a project co-founded by the European Union aiming at exploiting the green and blue potential of the West Mediterranean tourism SMEs, and Costa Cruceros, the main cruise operator in Europe.

The MedaWeek Barcelona 2023 will end with an amazing Matchmaking Event & Afterwork Cocktail that will get together in an “innovation room” start-ups, entrepreneurs, incubators, accelerators, institutions, financial entities, investors and funds. In the center of the room there will be a ring pitch where entrepreneurs will have the chance to explain their business projects. Around them, start-ups, entrepreneurs, companies, official institutions, financial entities and Mediterranean associations will be doing networking.