Diplomacy 2.0: New Realities, New Agency, New Strategies' Conference (17 September 2026 17 Koper, Slovenia)

On 17 September 2026, Teodoro Miano, Secretary General of CIHEAM, participated in the international conference “Diplomacy 2.0: New Realities, New Agency, New Strategies”, held at the Euro-Mediterranean University (EMUNI) in Koper, Slovenia. Organised by EMUNI University and the Centre of Diplomatic, Economic and Legal Studies (CDELS) of the University of Ljubljana’s Faculty of Social Sciences, the two-day conference brought together diplomats, academics and experts to explore the transformation of diplomacy in a context of rapid technological, geopolitical and societal change.

The Secretary General joined the opening High-Level Panel, moderated by Prof. Mouin Hamzé, Chairperson of the EMUNI Management Board, alongside representatives of the Slovenian Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, ALECSO and the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM). Discussions addressed Arab-Mediterranean food and water security and the contribution of diplomacy, science, research and regional cooperation to tackling shared challenges.

In his contribution, Teodoro Miano highlighted the fragmentation of data, knowledge flows and institutional approaches as a major obstacle to stronger Arab-Mediterranean cooperation. He presented CIHEAM’s response through multi-stakeholder platforms, scientific networks, research and training programmes, and participatory approaches, while stressing the importance of co-design and long-term regional partnerships to scale up successful initiatives.

In this context, Teodoro Miano also highlighted CIHEAM’s role as a neutral scientific and educational space, where training, research and knowledge cooperation can sustain cross-border collaboration and technical dialogue, including when political circumstances make direct dialogue more difficult.

Strengthening cooperation with EMUNI

On the margins of the conference, Teodoro Miano also met with Prof. Rado Bohinc, President of EMUNI University; Prof. Mouin Hamzé, Chairperson of the EMUNI Management Board; and Ambassador Tanja Miškova of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of Slovenia. The meeting provided an opportunity to discuss the respective priorities of CIHEAM and EMUNI and explore avenues for closer cooperation, particularly through knowledge exchange, science and higher education diplomacy, research cooperation and long-term institutional partnerships across the Mediterranean.

The participation of CIHEAM in Diplomacy 2.0 reaffirmed the importance of scientific and educational cooperation as a bridge between Mediterranean countries. By connecting institutions, researchers, policymakers and regional organisations, CIHEAM and its partners can help translate dialogue and shared knowledge into sustained cooperation in response to the region’s interconnected food, water, climate and development challenges.