The concept of establishing National Focus Groups emerged within the consultative approach the Med Culture programme is promoting in the region in what concerns the culture sector. Exchanges with members of these groups, representing public institutions and civil society organisations, are invaluable for keeping in touch with the reality on the ground and for voicing local needs and priorities. More importantly, these groups ensure an ongoing dialogue between the authorities and civil society organisations working in the culture sector.

At least one meeting per year is to take place in every country where a National Focus Group is established in order to discuss progress within the programme and main issues and obstacles the sector is encountering at both national and regional levels, and exchange on future capacity building activities in the planning.

National Focus Groups have been elemental in the design of action plans in countries such as Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Palestine and more recently Tunisia.