2026Euromed Traditional Mosaics - Set

On July 6, 2026, La Poste (the French postal service) issued a stamp featuring traditional Mediterranean mosaics in Marseille as part of the EUROMed 2026 competition.

Marseille Mosaïque: an artistic and civic endeavor.

Marseille Mosaïque is a Marseille-based project spearheaded by the Viv’Arthe association, founded in 2004 by mosaic artist Paola Cervoni.

This ambitious project was born from a somewhat audacious challenge: to cover the world's longest bench on the Marseille waterfront with tesserae in the colors of the Mediterranean.

In 2007, the idea struck her like a flash of inspiration. Leaning against the horizon, gazing to the right and left at this long seat, Paola Cervoni envisioned these benches covered in colorful mosaics.

This sudden burst of inspiration was followed by a long journey of perseverance, driven by passion and the desire to share this collective creation.

The first mosaics were installed on the Corniche in 2015. Schoolchildren were the initial creators. They were followed by disability organizations, then families, local businesses, high schools, middle schools, and retirement homes. Year after year, the project grew, and its collective expanded (more than 250 partners in total).

In 2016, 2,000 Marseillais participated in this artistic adventure on the Corniche Kennedy. By 2025, more than 16,000 Marseillais had left their mark on this iconic site. Each person etches their identity, tells their story, and enhances our Mediterranean city on this public bench, which becomes a link carrying universal messages. The mosaic embodies a whole symbolism of gradual transformation. We cut: we break a norm; we file: we round the edges; we assemble: we build a new image. It is a process of inner and outer transformation.

This urban mosaic is a work for everyone, giving a voice to every Marseillais and encouraging kindness.

Marseille Mosaïque is more than just a mosaic; it's a collective love story, inscribed in the city, simply to do good and remind us that together, we are better.