Based on the suggestions made by the speakers of Plenary Session IV "Ch- lenges to the management of water resources and to countering deserti cation in the Mediterranean region" during the 15th Economic and Environmental Forum, the OCEEA proposed to organize a workshop on "Water Scarcity, Land Degra- tion and Deserti cation in the Mediterranean region - Environment and Security Aspects." In order to build on common synergies, OSCE sought co-operation with c- leagues from NATO, in particular from the Science for Peace and Security P- gramme. NATO has a longstanding expertise on the issue and had organised in Valencia, in December 2003, a NATO scienti c workshop on "Deserti cation and Security in the Mediterranean Region." The objective of the new proposed wo- shop would be to broaden its focus from the scienti c community to include also policy makers. 1 The workshop, aimed at government of cials from the Mediterranean Region, gathered representatives of Water management, Land degradation and Desert- cation Departments of Ministries of Environment and representatives from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs. In addition, policy makers, scientists and experts were also invited. The aim was to discuss how the OSCE, NATO and other c- petent organizations like the UNCCD, UNEP, MAP, and the EU could play a role in ensuring that environment and security linkages in terms of water scarcity, land degradation and deserti cation are addressed in the Mediterranean Region.

Based on the suggestions made by the speakers of Plenary Session IV "Ch- lenges to the management of water resources and to countering deserti cation in the Mediterranean region" during the 15th Economic and Environmental Forum, the OCEEA proposed to organize a workshop on "Water Scarcity, Land Degra- tion and Deserti cation in the Mediterranean region - Environment and Security Aspects." In order to build on common synergies, OSCE sought co-operation with c- leagues from NATO, in particular from the Science for Peace and Security P- gramme. NATO has a longstanding expertise on the issue and had organised in Valencia, in December 2003, a NATO scienti c workshop on "Deserti cation and Security in the Mediterranean Region." The objective of the new proposed wo- shop would be to broaden its focus from the scienti c community to include also policy makers. 1 The workshop, aimed at government of cials from the Mediterranean Region, gathered representatives of Water management, Land degradation and Desert- cation Departments of Ministries of Environment and representatives from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs. In addition, policy makers, scientists and experts were also invited. The aim was to discuss how the OSCE, NATO and other c- petent organizations like the UNCCD, UNEP, MAP, and the EU could play a role in ensuring that environment and security linkages in terms of water scarcity, land degradation and deserti cation are addressed in the Mediterranean Region.

Aeons ago, when Time did not prevail, there was a dream place, a Land of Light where the Blessed lnmortals coexisted with the ephemeral race of Men. Right there, a building of giant proportions soared to the stars and it housed a magnificent library. Posterity will remember this Universal Library as the "Library of Forgotten Memory." The most treasured Works of Human and Divine Knowledge laid there: books of magic and adventures; trip stories; descriptions of exotic countries; myths and legends from every land on Earth and even from other spheres, dimensions and planets; past and future events; secrets of alchemy and the most varied collection of writings, where the lost books of Thot, the Stanzas of Dzyan or the ineffable and accursed Necroeroticon were only a small sample. However, that legacy from Gods disappeared: godless hands plundered the Library. A huge part of that divine gift was lost... up to now.Eones atras, cuando no reinaba el Tiempo, existio un lugar de ensueno, una Tierra de Luz donde los Inmortales Bienaventurados convivian con la efimera raza de los Hombres. Alli, un edificiornde proporciones ciclopeas se elevaba hacia las estrellas, que contenia una biblioteca grandiosa. Esa Biblioteca Universal paso a la posteridad como la Biblioteca de la Memoria Olvidada. Alli reposaban las Obras mas preciadas del Saber Divino y Humano: libros de magia y aventuras, narraciones de viajes, descripciones de paises exoticos; mitos y leyendas de todos los pueblos de la Tierra; incluso de otras esferas, dimensiones y planetas. Hechos del pasado y del futuro; secretos alquimicos y la mas variada coleccion de escritos de los que los perdidos Libros de Thot, Las Estancias del Dzyan o el inefable y maldito Necroeroticon, solo eran una pequena muestra. Pero aquel Legado de los Dioses desaparecio impias manos saquearon la Biblioteca. Gran parte de la dote divina se perdio... hasta ahora.