The fate of populations living around the Black Sea is related to the crossroads situation, to political fragmentation and to the struggle of outside powers for zones of influence. Those elements have been combined in different ways; times of stability and prosperity have been succeeded by periods of war and destruction and vice versa. After the stability of the Cold War, geopolitical problems are threatening again this region; however, new opportunities appear as well. The BSEC can contribute to progress by reinforcing networks, by promoting globalized strategies and by developing an image of the Black Sea Region as a geo‐cultural and geo‐economic entity.