Few things are as global as climate change and few challenges have the power to unite countries around the world as environmental challenges.

As Europe lives in one of its hottest years, climate change in the Arabian Gulf is advancing desertification, threatening water supplies and food security. In March 2016, the EGIC chose to organize an event to reflect upon these challenges and explore the many venues for developing cooperative solutions – both at the institutional level than at the level of civil society. To this aim, the EGIC gathered an international panel with speakers from various backgrounds:

Khawla Al-Muhannadi—Environment Friends Society Bahrain

Federico Brocchieri—Italian Climate Network

Alessandro De Rossi—University of Lecce

Giuseppe Carrus—Roma Tre University

The roundtable centred on a variety of topics that ranged from the importance of the physical environment in determining national narratives, images and very real identities to the manner in which environmental changes and degradation are forcing adaptive changes to people, values and the societies they inhabit. This discussion was not only centred on physical spaces, but the diverse ecosystems that rely on them and the relationship between people, animals and plant-life. In all, Rome Dialogue III generated a powerful message of environmental awareness for the sake of preservation. In addition to the dynamic panel discussion, the 30 people in attendance added an important layer of public engagement. Since, each member of the audience was related to an important organisation in Italy (or Europe) they added to an atmosphere that encouraged debate and an amazing synergy between various sectors.