Starting from the idea of an “underwater heart” that has been beating in the Mediterranean Sea for thousands of years, the project partners put forward a multi-disciplinary project, the “Underwater Heart of the Mediterranean” project that brought to the centre of international attention the discovery of common pulses, pathways and roots. With respect towards diversity, the project went far beyond defending peoples’ differences to put humanity in the front line and work through the exploration of peoples’ similarities, common thought and beliefs – projecting the ideas of equality, human rights, respect, transparency, clarity, simplicity, environment, human proportions, as everybody is equal under the water.
The partners’ philosophy connected urban culture values with ancient Mediterranean cultural values, such as Ancient Greek myths and qualities, attempting to reach common ground between populations and create European collaborative artwork. Three European performing arts organisations, together with a network of associated partners from various countries of Europe and Lebanon, engaged performing arts professionals, cultural, educational and environmental experts, multimedia designers, people with physical disabilities, children and teenagers, divers and snorkelers, tour guides, and the general public in a project including: workshops and educative programs, artistic residencies, the “Drops of Breath” underwater dance performance, the “Drops of Peace” site-specific performance, the “Drops of Breath” film, the “Eyes Wide Open” international lecture, the www.dropsofbreath.com website, the “Drops of Breath” photo exhibition, the production of a music CD and of a DVD.
By its proposed activities, the project met the objectives of reinforcement of the sector’s capacity to operate trans-nationally and of trans-national mobility and circulation. As a result, the individual and collective exploration by project participants and international audiences involved empowered the idea of a beating underwater heart and supported strong bonds among organisations, populations and cultures.