The Luigi Einaudi Chair supported a new Mediterranean Initiative which featured conferences and events on the reunification of Cyprus and the reciprocal influences of Morocco and Europe. Two major events were organized by Gail Holst-Warhaft (Classics/IES) and in consortium with Syracuse University, our Cornell-Syracuse Upstate Consortium for Trans-European Studies. The first, Crossing The Green Line: A Forum On Cyprus, took place November 7-9, 2003. Invitees included leaders of the Turkish and Greek municipalities of Nicosia and scholars who observed Cyprus before and after the opening of the border dividing the northern and southern parts of the island, a separation referred to as the "Green Line."

The second week-long series of events took place March 5-12 and focused on Morocco and its interrelation with Europe. Morocco In Europe: Semaine Marocaine, included an exhibition of artifacts from Morocco, a film screening, musical performances, and discussions which explored topics such as historical links between Morocco and Europe, contemporary relations between European countries and Morocco, and the Moroccan economy.

The Luigi Einaudi Lecture was delivered on April 15th by Michael Herzfeld, Professor of Anthropology at Harvard University. Professor Herzfeld’s lecture, entitled "From the Margins of Europe to the Head of the World: Comparative Reflections on Ethnology and Nationalism in Greece and Rome", offered personal insights into the way nationalism is expressed in the cities that have been the focus of his research: Rome and Rethymnon, Crete.