A Message from Marseille

Throughout September, the Mediterranean caught the eyes of the world as unfortunate disasters propagated on the shores of its countries — the devastating Moroccan earthquake, the Libyan tsunami-like flood, the migrant crisis in Lampedusa and, in October, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Across the sea, however, Marseille shone as the center of eventful festivities that reflected the hope that the region desperately sought. A message of unity and cooperation sailed from Marseille’s port through the peaceful waves of the Mediterranean, ultimately reaching to the shores of its various sea neighbors as people from all around the Mediterranean and beyond gathered to discuss the future of the region in a series of events. 

The festivities began with ‘Les Rencontres Méditerranéennes’ at Palais du Pharo, which brought together a varied audience of  old and young, from around the world, particularly the Mediterranean, to create a stage for discussion breaking down generational divisions. More importantly, these meetings targeted the youth, a group of which were Sciences Po Menton students who are expected to play a crucial role in the future world and specifically, the issues of this region. These events also welcomed president of the European Central Bank, Christine Lagarde, for a conference on the Geopolitical Situation in the Mediterranean. “Où que l’on soit, on peut progresser sur un chemin de paix et d’espérance,” (wherever we might be, we can progress on a path of peace and hope) stated president Lagarde, emphasizing the importance of hope through her discourse. To describe the severity of the geopolitical fragmentation across the Mediterranean, Lagarde also stated, “Pendant longtemps, la méditerranée est restée non pas le mare nostrum mais le mare clausum,” (for a long time, the Mediterranean has not been the mare nostrum but the mare clausum) reflecting the disunity amongst the people bordering the sea. In the conference, she highlighted the importance of cooperation, specifically the role of the Northern basin in supporting the Southern and Eastern basins, with the aim of reducing segregation. 

The Conférence Méditerannée du Futur on Sept. 22 brought together 36 countries’ delegations at Marseille’s Grand Cosquer under this year’s subject: water. “La Méditerranée est un carrefour entre les continents, elle a toujours fait lien entre les peuples, avant même l’Antiquité,” (the Mediterranean is a carrefour between continents. It has always been a link of people even before ancient times) Carole Delga, president of the Occitanie region, noted with enthusiasm in her opening speech. The conference entailed several round table discussions over various topics, one of which surrounded the potential creation of a macro-region uniting all Mediterranean countries, pushed for by the president of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region Renaud Muselier and his counterpart in the Occitanie. “Aux 36 délégations présentes, je dis, construisons, avec ce qui nous rassemble, notre fierté d’être méditerranéens, les coopérations de demain, à l’échelle de notre territoire,” (to the 36 delegations present today, let us build the cooperation of tomorrow amongst the territories which shares our pride of being from the Mediterranean) expressed Renaud Muselier in the conference’s opening speech. The main message from this discussion was the potential that  such a region would have, even being compared to  Eurorégion Pyrénées-Méditerranée, which was created in 2004 to establish environmental cooperation, economic development, humanitarian relief and peace across a sea crying for it. 

That said, the peak of this hopeful weekend arrived with Pope Francis’ visit to Marseille, which also prompted visits from several political figures, notably President Emmanuel Macron and the Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin. He commenced his visit through a breakfast with the residents of one of Marseille’s poorest neighborhoods. Later, at the Palais du Pharo, the Pope and President Macron met and the Pope delivered a closing message at the ceremony of Les Rencontres Méditerranéennes. In his speech, he tackled the topic of migration and sent a clear message to Macron and his fellow ministers present in the room. “Ceux qui se réfugient chez nous ne doivent pas être considérés comme un fardeau à porter: si nous les considérons comme des frères, ils nous apparaîtront surtout comme des dons” (those who seek refuge in us must not be regarded as a burden: if we treat them as brothers, they will surely appear as blessings). Moreover, the also Pope tackled the argument of “invasion” that has risen as a result of populist anti-immigrant politicians, stating, “Mais ceux qui risquent leur vie en mer n’envahissent pas, ils cherchent hospitalité” (but, those who risk their lives crossing the sea won't come here to invade us. They are in search for accommodation and embracement). The Pope ended his message about refugees by saying, “Nous avons besoin de fraternité comme de pain. Le mot même ‘frère,’ dans sa dérivation indo-européenne, révèle une racine liée à la nutrition et à la subsistance. Nous ne nous soutiendrons qu’en nourrissant d’espérance les plus faibles, en les accueillant comme des frères” (We are in need of brotherhood as much as bread. Even the word "brother" reveals a root linked to nutrition and sustenance in its Indo-European derivation. We will only survive by providing hope to the weakest among us through welcoming them as brothers). After his discourse, the Pope went to the Stade Velodrome for a mass where thousands impatiently awaited his arrival to pray collectively. 

“I'll go to Marseille, but not to France.” Indeed, the words of the Pope, before his arrival, aptly express the essential role that the beautiful Marseille plays in leading the message of solidarity, love and unity across the blue Mediterranean Sea  and the souls that share it.