Matera (Italy) and Tetouan (Morocco) will be the 2026 Mediterranean Capitals of Culture and Dialogue.

This distinction, bestowed upon them by the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) and the Anna Lindh Foundation, will see the cities host a yearlong series of cultural activities that engage local communities and foster partnerships across the wider Mediterranean region. With both cities sharing deep historical legacies and traditions, this recognition is a testament to their commitment to promoting dialogue and mutual understanding across the region.
Matera and Tetouan will follow in the footsteps of Tirana (Albania) and Alexandria (Egypt), who in 2025 will become the first-ever Mediterranean Capitals of Culture and Dialogue.

The 2026 capitals were formally announced on November 28, the Day of the Mediterranean. The annual celebration highlights positive cooperation stories in the region, serving as a reminder of our shared Mediterranean identity.

UfM Secretary General Nasser Kamel, stated: “The power of culture should not be underestimated. In an age of divisiveness and tragic conflicts with no immediate end in sight, we must not dismiss culture’s potential to build bridges by promoting much-needed dialogue. Congratulations are in order for Matera and Tetouan as we embrace the promise of culture as a means of paving the way forward to a future that benefits us all.”

About the Union for the Mediterranean
The Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) is a Euro-Mediterranean intergovernmental organisation bringing together the 27 countries of the European Union and 16 countries from the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean. The UfM provides a forum for strengthened regional cooperation, dialogue and the implementation of concrete projects and initiatives that have a tangible impact on the citizens of those regions.

About the Anna Lindh Foundation
The Anna Lindh Euro-Mediterranean Foundation for Dialogue between Cultures (ALF) is an ‎intergovernmental organisation that fulfils ‎an intercultural mission to promote knowledge, mutual respect, and exchange between the peoples of ‎the UfM region. The Foundation works as a Network of ‎national Networks, gathering about 4,000 civil society organisations, playing the role of a ‎facilitator to bring people together, promoting dialogue between cultures, nurturing shared universal ‎values, and supporting the participation of citizens in building open and inclusive societies.