On Thursday 6 May 2004, all Foreign Ministers of the twenty-five European Union member states met together with the Foreign Ministers of eight Arab countries, as well as Israel and Turkey, in the Irish capital Dublin. This Ministerial Conference within the so-called Barcelona Process decided to give the name “Anna Lindh” to a new foundation, which aims to develop dialogue for an increased understanding between European, Mediterranean and Middle East countries.
The thirty-five Foreign Ministers also decided that the foundation headquarters would be the city of Alexandria, Egypt, to be hosted in tandem by the Bibliotheca Alexandrina and the Swedish Institute.
Swedish Foreign Minister, Mrs. Laila Freivalds, expressed her satisfaction with this decision: “It gives me great pleasure that Sweden, in co-operation with the Arab Republic of Egypt, is granted the honour of hosting the headquarters of that important dialogue Foundation. Sweden, through our Institute in Alexandria, possesses excellent capabilities for hosting this Foundation. The decision to name it after Anna Lindh underlines the important role she played to develop dialogue and co-operation between cultures”.
Jan Henningsson, Director of the Swedish Institute in Alexandria, says that the decision to locate such an important institution on the southern shore of the Mediterranean strengthens the credibility of the interregional dialogue and increases the possibilities for fair and balanced participation by people from all thirty-five countries involved in the Barcelona Process.