MED26: A shared journey towards a peaceful Mediterranean

A meeting in Barcelona between bishops, young people, and local organisations

MED26, an ecclesial gathering bringing together various institutions active in the Mediterranean region, took place from June 9-12, 2026 in Barcelona, Spain. More than 200 people attended, including bishops, young people and other local stakeholders, organised into the Solidarity, Education, Theology, Shrines, and Monasteries networks. There was also a strong presence of representatives from the Roman Curia, including Cardinal George Koovakad, Prefect of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue, and Archbishop Flavio Pace, Secretary of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity. Representing the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development (DPIHD), in addition to the Prefect, Cardinal Michael Czerny SJ, were the Undersecretary Jozef Barlaš as well as Flaminia Vola, a Dicastery official.

The young people attending the event, some of whom had taken part in The Beautiful Hope – MED25 programme, were involved in meetings organised specifically for them from June 6 onwards. Among the various activities, their visit to the monastery of Santa Maria de Montserrat was a particularly meaningful experience.

MED26 took place in conjunction with the Apostolic Visit of the Pope Leo XIV to Spain, during his stop in Barcelona, for which the theme was “Lift up your eyes” (Alça la Mirada; https://alcalamirada.cat/en/ ; https://esglesia.barcelona/).

The proceedings of MED26 began at the headquarters of the Generalitat de Catalunya with a speech delivered by Cardinal Michael Czerny in the presence of local institutions and Cardinal Jean Marc Aveline, Archbishop of Marseille and promoter of the Mediterranean dialogues. In his address, Cardinal Czerny emphasised that “each shore possesses its own riches, history, memory, and capacity to contribute to the common good.”

On the same day, the group of participants had the opportunity to meet Pope Leo XIV at the Archbishop’s Palace in Barcelona, alongside Cardinal Archbishop Omella. Then, in the evening, they took part in the Prayer Vigil with the Holy Father at the Lluís Companys Olympic Stadium.

The second day’s proceedings took place at the Seminari Conciliar de Barcelona and began with some shared reflections on the Mediterranean, discussed in cross-group sessions with a view to providing young people with tools to interpret the contemporary world through the lens of cooperation. In the evening, the group was invited to attend the Solemn Mass presided over by the Holy Father at the Basilica of the Sagrada Familia to mark the centenary of the death of Antoni Gaudí, followed by the inauguration of the Torre de Jesucrist.

The third day included official addresses by leaders from the Archdiocese of Barcelona and the Catalan government as well as working sessions, with discussions centred on the importance of networks as platforms for peace and collaboration between the shores of the Mediterranean. The groups were asked to share their best practices and formulate concrete proposals for the way forward.

These proposals were presented during the plenary session on the final day. Among the proposals were: the need to deepen listening and dialogue amongst the various stakeholders, strengthening joint efforts on the basis of existing best practices; looking ahead to the Church’s future in the coming years in preparation for the Jubilee of Redemption in 2033; the importance of human mobility in the region, with its real challenges but also with opportunities to promote Mediterranean culture in an intercultural and intergenerational context; and finally, to ask the Holy Father to convene a Synod on the Mediterranean that places the dignity of the person at the centre in a critical regional context where the fundamental rights of the person are a key focus.

In his concluding remarks, Cardinal Aveline called for looking forward with enthusiasm to the uniqueness of the path we have embarked upon, which must be accompanied by gentleness, patience, and perseverance, but also by bold initiatives. The Cardinal then recalled Pope Leo XIV’s encouragement to continue on this path by strengthening networks beyond rigid structures and by discerning ways to foster the commitment of the Churches present in the Mediterranean and their collaboration with all men and women of good will.