Italian Policy of Cultural and Humanitarian Cooperation in the Adriatic-Ionian Macroregion

This article analyses Italy's policy of cultural and humanitarian cooperation within the Adriatic-Ionian macroregion as an integral part of the Greater Mediterranean. By comparing Italy's engagement with Croatia (EU member) and Serbia (EU candidate), the study reveals Rome's strategic vision for implementing its foreign policy in the Greater Mediterranean. Italy employs an integrated approach to strengthen its regional position, utilising not only economic ties and military presence through international missions but also actively promoting “soft power”.Italy desires to achieve the status of a regional power in conditions of limited material resources. In this regard, Italy's contributionto the EU's macro-regional policy meets both the interests of Rome and fits into Brussels' approaches to ensuring the interests of the European Union. Participation in the EU's Adriatic-Ionian Strategy allows Italy to expand its resources for foreign policy in the Greater Mediterranean, while for the EU, the strategy serves as a tool for fostering closer ties between the Western Balkans and the Union.