The ISMARMED seminar brought together researchers, strategic planners and architects, practicing professionals, and national and international policy makers from both sides of the Mediterranean Basin. The seminar, which was held at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina 29–31 March 2005, aimed to concretize the idea of a shared Mediterranean heritage related to their common civilization and shared history; to reinforce their common and diverse identity. It was supported by the European Union within the framework of the 6th PCRD and was the fifth in a series of regional conferences on Modern Heritage launched by UNESCO since 2001. It was organized jointly by the French Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD) acting as main coordinator, the Cairo University Center for Architectural and Engineering Design Support, UNESCO’s World Heritage Center, and the Alexandria and Mediterranean Research Center at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina.
The program included strategic keynote presentations, paper sessions, action-based workshops, exhibitions and social events.