Hello everyone! My name is Claudia, I’m 25 years old, I’m from Italy and I’m currently an IVY Reporter at the italian National Contact Point of the Interreg Euro-MED programme, hosted by Regione Toscana, in the beautiful city of Florence.

Having a background in International Cooperation and Development, I have always been particularly interested in the dynamics of European cooperation. For years, both professionally and personally, I’ve been passionate about two things: European Cohesion Policies and Mediterranean history, culture and nature. Fair to say that the programme I’m currently working on is the perfect combination of these two aspects.

What is the Interreg Euro-MED Programme?

Euro-MED is a Territorial Cooperation Programme that covers the territories along the northern coast of the Mediterranean, bringing together a total of 69 regions from 10 European countries and 4 IPA countries (EU candidate countries).

Like other Interreg programmes, Euro-MED is one of the ways in which the European Union promotes the objectives of European Cohesion Policy, focusing on enhancing a sustainable economy and tourism, protecting natural heritage and promoting green living areas.

What about the Italian National Contact Point?

The Italian National Contact Point (NCP) is the main point of reference for all Italian beneficiaries of the Euro-MED programme and is currently managed by Regione Toscana (Region of Tuscany). The NCP provides support on the technical and administrative requirements for the implementation of the programme and contributes to its promotion, providing information on funding calls and opportunities. 

My tasks?

As an IVY reporter, my role mainly focuses on supporting communication and dissemination activities. Over the past three months, I have primarily been working on the creation of a newsletter, promotional content, as well as social media activities and campaigns.

Recently, I’ve been working on communication related to the 7th Euro-MED call within the Mediterranean Multi-Programme Mechanism (MMM), an initiative that aims to connect projects from 10 different Interreg Programmes, also covering territories in partner countries outside the EU. The focus is on sustainable tourism, a topic I feel particularly connected to, as the effects of mass tourism are extremely visible, especially across the European Mediterranean region.

My Experience

What I have appreciated the most about this experience is, first of all, the opportunity to work behind the scenes of European territorial cooperation mechanisms, attending meetings, discussions and exchanges involving different stakeholders, both Italian and European.

Equally important has been the great collaboration with the team at my host organisation, who have supported and trained me, introducing me to the functioning and the objectives of the programme. Most importantly, they have given me the opportunity to express my creativity in communication and to contribute with my own ideas and perspective.