The Organizing Committee of the Mediterranean Games “Taranto 2026,” the Alliance of Mediterranean News Agencies (AMAN), and the Italian News Agency (ANSA), sixteen months before the opening of the XX Mediterranean Games, gave the opportunity to journalists and representatives from more than 20 major News Agencies of the Mediterranean basin to participate in the seminar entitled: “20th Mediterranean Games Taranto 2026: A legacy of sport, sustainability, and multicultural dialogue.”

The seminar aimed to inform the public about the city of Taranto, the intensive preparations by the organizers to ensure high-level hospitality, as well as for the progress of the infrastructure’s works.

A total of 350 million euros has been secured by the Italian government for the organization of the Mediterranean Games in Taranto, the highest amount ever allocated for a sporting event in Southern Italy.

The International Committee of the Mediterranean Games was represented by the President of the ICMG Coordination Commission for Taranto, Stavri Bello, who delivered a speech titled: “Mediterranean Games: An Opportunity for Multicultural Dialogue.”

Speakers at the seminar also included Italy’s Minister for European Affairs, Tommaso Foti, and the Minister for Sports and Youth, Andrea Abodi.

Tommaso Foti emphasized the contribution of the Mediterranean Games to cultural interaction among the peoples of the Mediterranean basin and underlined that the Games will be beneficial not only in athletic terms but also for cultural exchanges. “The 2026 Games will undoubtedly be a beautiful chapter not only in sports but also in cultural exchange—something that sport inherently fosters, as it’s not only about competition but also about genuine and profound friendship among peoples,” he said.

Andrea Abodi stressed that the construction of the Games’ facilities “is progressing and will become even more visible in the coming months.” He also announced that the Italian government will allocate an additional 25 million euros for the organization of the Games.

The President of the Organizing Committee of the 20th Mediterranean Games Taranto 2026, Massimo Ferrarese, confirmed that “the timeline for the construction of the sports facilities is on the right track.”

The seminar coincided with the arrival in Taranto of the three-masted sailing ship “Americo Vespucci,” which was built in 1930 and belongs to the Italian Navy. Taranto is the 7th stop in the Mediterranean sea as part of its global voyage, which takes place every 20 years.