A cruise for peace in the Mediterranean

Young peace advocates from Mediterranean countries started on Monday a cruise for peace in the Mediterranean.

The cruise, co-financed by the European Union and the UNESCO, sailed from the Egyptian port of Alexandria on Monday evening and is scheduled to stop over in Gaza (Palestine) in Larnaca (Cyprus), Haifa (Israel), Istanbul (Turkey) and in Piraeus, Greece.

The cruise sponsors said the major purpose of the trip is to promote a peace culture in the Mediterranean and to enable these youths from 23 countries to contribute to restoring peace in the region and to convey a message of peace to all Mediterranean countries.

The youths will attend training sessions on mediation missions in cases of conflict and on prevention and management of crises. Festivals on peace will be held in all the ports visited by the cruise.

The European Council, which is among the cruise's co-sponsors, said if this cruise is successful, a similar cruise for peace in the Maghreb will be organized later.

Youths from several Arab states, are participating in the cruise held at the initiative of the World Scout Movement organization, the European Union, the UNESCO, the European Youth Forum, and the north-south center of the European council.