Hola!
I’m Farah Mejri, a 22-year-old Tunisian volunteer participating in the ENSERES project as an IVY volunteer. This incredible initiative stands for “Enhancing Socio-Ecological Resilience in Mediterranean Coastal Areas.” It’s all about tackling the pressures that overexploitation, population growth, governance, and climate change exert on the Mediterranean coastal and marine areas, endangering biodiversity and the Mediterranean lifestyle.
Our goal is to promote sustainable practices and protect vulnerable areas while boosting the local economy. To achieve this, we use ecosystem-based management approaches, which strengthen both social and ecological resilience. The ENSERES project implements transformative governance mechanisms and engages communities to improve people’s lives and nature.
As part of my role, I’m involved in increasing the project’s visibility and communication on social media. I create visual posters, translate the project’s catalogue and news, and support its overall promotion. It’s truly rewarding to contribute to such a meaningful cause.
By sharing my experiences as an IVY volunteer, I aim to raise awareness about the Interreg program and showcase the cooperation within the EU. I’ve gained valuable insights into the EU’s Cohesion Policy, learned about various projects, and witnessed firsthand how they support local communities across Europe. It’s important to spread the word and let others know about the EU’s positive impact in our area.
The ENSERES project has a significant mission. Its main goal is to mainstream ecosystem-based management tools in Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) processes. It strives to preserve coastal and marine ecosystems, ensuring sustainable livelihoods for coastal urban communities. The project’s beneficiaries include national and local public authorities, Marine Protected Areas stakeholders, civil society organizations, small-scale local companies, national and sub-regional thematic MPA networks, as well as EU and Mediterranean authorities and agencies. Through collaboration and cooperation, project partners work together to implement the necessary changes and achieve our objectives.
My involvement in the ENSERES project has been personally rewarding, contributing to my personal growth, skill development, and knowledge about the environment. Attending workshops and witnessing project progress in Sfax has been inspiring. It has also instilled values of solidarity through collaboration with like-minded individuals. Overall, the ENSERES project has provided me with valuable experiences and contributed to my personal and professional development.
– Farah, IVY Project Partner for the ENI CBC MED project “ENSERES” at European Topic Centre of the University of Malaga
