The Memorandum of Understanding and the internal agreement among members of the association was signed during the meeting. Among the causes that MASAD intends to take up are the formation of a Science Centre in Palestine, the first prototype of which was opened last February 12th at the Al Quds University in East Jerusalem.
The main objective of MASAD is to strengthen collaboration and dialogue on science and technology among countries in the Mediterranean area. The organisation will create and promote a network that will involve all scientists and others in the field of science and technology communication in the region.
MASAD has been pioneered by the Fondazione IDIS-Città della Scienza (Institute for the Diffusion and the Development of Scientific Culture) in Naples, the Genoa Science Festival, and the Cotec Foundation (Foundation for Technological Innovation) in Rome. Other members will include the ALEXploratorium (Science Center of the Alexandrine Library for the promotion of Science and Technology) in Alexandria, Egypt, the Sigma Foundation from Morocco, the Foundation des Centres de Sciences in Istanbul, Turkey, and the science museum in Tunis.