The first official meeting between the Moroccan city and Matera, designated Mediterranean Capitals of Culture and Dialogue 2026 as part of the initiative promoted by the Union for the Mediterranean and the Anna Lindh Foundation, took place on Friday 12 and Saturday 13 December in Tétouan.

The seventh edition of Open Sound Festival returns to Basilicata at an unprecedented time for the project (EcocNews Mediapartner), with two weekends in December: from the 19th to the 20th in various iconic locations in Matera, and on the 27th and 28th at Castello del Malconsiglio in Miglionico, on the outskirts of the 2019 European Capital of Culture.

The Matera Jazz Guitar Days festival is coming on September 13 and 14, 2025. This new event is promoted by the AquaMater ETS Association in collaboration with the Matera Jazz Association Mifajazz and Jando Music, with the aim of promoting young jazz guitar talents and bringing great national and international artists to the city of Matera, European Capital of Culture 2019.

12 months of meetings, art and dialogue, with a launch event on 28 November 2025 on the Mediterranean Day, the opening on 20 March on the International Day of Happiness, and then festivals, reviews, international forums on the themes of environment and territories, digital transformations, human development and quality of life, relations and social ties, which will make the Mediterranean a platform for experimentation.

Starting on Friday 16 May, a cycle of online meetings open to the public will kick off, dedicated to the challenges and opportunities of curating in the digital age, promoted by the Fondazione Matera Basilicata 2019, leader of the Basilicata Digital Academy network, in collaboration with CNA Matera and Confapi Matera, as part of the TOCC ‘Airfare’ project.