Besides its significance as a strategic waterway over thousands of years, the Mediterranean is also a bridge between civilizations and cultures, not only across the three continents surrounding it, but also between forces and currents that have interacted (cooperatively or militarily) on its wealth, potentials, values, and cultures, and shared interest in its issues and challenges. Accordingly, the future of the Mediterranean region depends on the ability of these currents and civilizations to manage their interactions in a manner that guarantees security, stability and prosperity for the countries of the world in general, and the Mediterranean region in particular.
