During the first week of August, Névyne Zeineldin represented the ACRONYM project at Med25 Bel Espoir initiative in Albania. Med25, organised by the Diocese of Marseille and supported by the late Pope Francis, bringing together around two hundred young people from across the Mediterranean for a collective journey by boat, with stops in several countries. Each stop explores a theme central to the region’s shared challenges; in the Albanian-Italy segment, with the focus on migration.
Névyne joined the group in Tirana and Durrës, where the events were coordinated by Caritas Albania. The program combined public conferences, institutional exchanges, and youth discussion groups. The opening conference included interventions from: Father Bernard Caruana (Vicar General in Albania), Alketa Gaxha (International Organization for Migration-Albania), Juljana Reso (Director of Caritas Albania), Ariela Mitri (Department of Migration and Anti-Trafficking at Caritas Albania), Archbishop Arjan Dodaj (Metropolitan Archbishop of Tirana-Durrës). The sessions were also attended by clergy members from the region, including Father Alexis Leproux, coordinator of Bel Espoir from Marseille. Each speaker offered a perspective on how migration is shaping societies in Albania, the broader Mediterranean, and Europe. The discussions highlighted both the challenges of migration management, particularly in terms of integration, labour opportunities, and vulnerability to trafficking, as well as the necessity of maintaining a human-centred approach that respects dignity and promotes solidarity. During the conference, Névyne presented ACRONYM’s ongoing research on the perceptions of priests and clergy members regarding migration, sharing data and testimonies, questioning both their active engagement and their moments of hesitation or non-engagement. This subject resonated with the audience as it connected theological, social, and pastoral dimensions to wider questions of public debate. The intervention was very well received. Following the panel, a number of participants (clergy, NGO representatives, and young people alike) approached her to continue the conversation. Their questions and reflections showed that the themes raised echo in different national contexts, from the challenges of preaching hospitality in polarised environments to the practical ways churches and NGOs can engage in supporting migrants and asylum seekers and in resisting disinformation and political instrumentalisation of migration related issues.
Beyond the institutional setting, the most impactful moments were those spent with the young participants themselves. The group included youth from Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Palestine, Bosnia, France, Greece, Italy, and Spain, among other, representing a wide range of experiences and outlooks. Their profiles were highly heterogeneous: ranging from 20 to 35 years old, some were students in medicine or sciences, others were artists while several were scholars or worked directly with NGOs or in community organisations. They also came from different religious traditions as well as from varied economic situations. This heterogeneity mattered. It meant that conversations were not only intercultural but also interfaith, inter-professional, and interclass encounters, where perspectives shaped by clinical training, artistic practice, civic engagement, or socioeconomic conditions collided and complemented one another. The initiative became a space where distinct trajectories (academic, professional, creative, spiritual, and economic) were placed in dialogue, producing a richer fabric of exchanges. It also highlighted how migration is understood differently depending on one’s position: as a humanitarian challenge, as a theme of artistic expression, as a moral duty, or as a lived reality within families and communities. The diversity was such that it was impossible to create groups by nationality or language. This proved to be an advantage as it forced dialogue across differences. The participants had no choice but to engage with one another directly. This necessity created genuine conversations and mutual discovery, breaking down stereotypes and encouraging them to see each other as journey companions rather than foreigners. Small group sessions of four to five participants were organised to discuss migration in its multiple dimensions: the importance of inter-religious and intercultural dialogue, and how it can counter polarisation; the fight against stereotypes and disinformation, which continue to shape public opinion in divisive ways; questions of identity, belonging, and inclusion, particularly for those who have themselves experienced mobility or displacement; etc. “The participants demonstrated a remarkable capacity to listen, share, and learn from one another; showing how critical it is to involve young people in conversations on migration and asylum in Europe”, said Névyne.
Another crucial dimension of the Bel Espoir initiative is that the participants live together on board a boat during their journey. This way of life goes far beyond dialogue sessions as it requires them to work side by side with the boat’s crew, helping with everyday tasks such as washing dishes, sharing limited space, and assisting wherever needed. This experience pushes them out of their comfort zones and creates a context where cooperation is not optional but essential. Living in close quarters, supporting each other in practical tasks, and adapting to the constraints of the boat create bonds of trust and solidarity. Within a few days one could already witness the emergence of strong friendships, as well as invitations for future visits to each other’s countries of origin.
Such initiatives reveal the potential and the limits of faith-based and civil society interventions in the migration field. They provide laboratories of intercultural dialogue, yet they also raise questions: can such temporary, affective communities produce durable solidarities that extend beyond the journey? How do institutions like the Church balance their theological imperatives of hospitality with the political constraints of national contexts? And to what extent can youth-led, experiential encounters disrupt entrenched stereotypes and polarised narratives?
Névyne shared that leaving the group after only a few days was unexpectedly difficult. The intensity of the long conversations, the shared moments and work created attachments that went beyond ordinary conference encounters. To witness a group of young people so passionate about learning, debating, and exchanging ideas on politics, religion, and society was both humbling and inspiring. “As a Mediterranean myself engaged in cultural exchange programs and art residencies, this encounter carried particular weight: it was a reminder that political sociology is not only an academic pursuit but also a vocation tied to listening, dialogue, and engagement, being attentive to the ways in which collective energy and curiosity can shape more inclusive futures”, she reflected.
From the perspective of the ACRONYM project, the Albanian stage of Med25 underscored the importance of a multi-actor approach. Listening simultaneously to clergy, organisations, and youth demonstrated how migration is never just a technical matter of policy but a terrain where identities, solidarities, and narratives are constantly negotiated. The 8 months journey will culminate in Marseille in October, but already highlights how everyday practices of cooperation, on deck and in dialogue, offer glimpses of a more inclusive Mediterranean.
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