Hellenic American University has joined the Euromed University Initiative for Climate Action, coordinated by the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) and the Mediterranean Universities Union (UNIMED), in signing the Girona Manifesto – a shared commitment by regional institutions of higher education to addressing climate and environmental change. University President Themis Kaniklidou was pleased to share the endorsement with UfM Secretary General Nasser Kamel amidst the proceedings of the 9th Mediterranean Forum Circle The Med, held in the port of Piraeus, Greece.
The Euromed University Initiative for Climate Action unites research bodies in responding to the climate crisis through four common pillars of action. Collectively, these commitments enhance cooperation, expand climate education, empower student changemakers, encourage innovation across all signatories. The Mediterranean is a recognized climate hotspot, with temperatures warming 20 percent faster than the global average and requiring urgent action.
To this end, Hellenic American University offers a cluster of climate-related required and elective courses, such as Sustainable Community Development, International Service Learning, Developing the Global Citizen, and Sustainable Planet, among others, and service and experiential learning engagements with scientific NGOs. Student participation in conferences, fora, and environment-related capstone projects alongside faculty-led research in the EU-funded Horizon Europe Meta Cities Project further spotlight sustainability issue areas. The university remains committed to collaborating with education partners on interconnected challenges of climate and environmental change, and continues to support faculty exchanges and field studies in the Mediterranean region.
Photo (from left to right): Secretary General Kamel, Hellenic American University President Themis Kaniklidou, Culturvator Founder Abdel Ghaffar (Hellenic American University Education Partner 2024), and Hellenic American University Civic Engagement Director Cameron Bell.