Bluewave Days 2024: protecting the Mediterranean Sea
From June 8 to 13, Bluewave Days will carry out activities along the Spanish coastline to raise public awareness of the challenges facing the Mediterranean Sea and invite them to be part of the solution.
The Bluewave Alliance, promoted by the photoprotection and dermo-cosmetics laboratory ISDIN, is organizing this week the second edition of the Bluewave Days, a proposal with more than 60 activities that will take place in different locations along the Mediterranean coast and that seek to raise public awareness of the importance of the protection and regeneration of our seas and oceans. The initiative was launched this weekend and will last six days in which the number of participants is expected to triple after the success of the first edition, exceeding 2,800.
The main event of the Bluewave Days will take place on Thursday, June 13 at the Auditorium of the Olympic Port of Barcelona, where a Symposium will be held with the participation of expert scientists, sustainability entrepreneurs and committed companies that will share ideas and solutions to conserve and protect the marine ecosystem. During the event, a total of four round tables will be held to address topics as varied as the latest advances in the field, actions being carried out in the field of effective protection of marine areas or the combination of science, technology and art as a solution to rejuvenate the Mediterranean through the Sea Spores project.
ISDIN's CEO, Juan Naya, will open the Symposium, which will be attended by leading CSIC researchers such as the marine biologist Emma Cebrián or the scientist Enric Ballesteros from CEAB (Center for Advanced Studies of Blanes) and Josep Lluís Pelegrí, from the Institute of Marine Sciences. Professor Miquel Canals, from the University of Barcelona, will also participate. Representatives of the more than 24 collaborating companies and organizations will also participate.
In addition, the mini-series Waves of Tomorrow, created by the Bluewave Alliance and Odicean Expeditions to inspire about Marine Protected Areas, will also be presented during the day. The closing presentation will be given by Manu San Felix, marine biologist, National Geographic explorer and founder of the Vellmarí Association. San Felix has dedicated his life to the research and care of nature.
Awards ceremony:
The symposium will be followed by a gala and presentation of the Bluewave Awards, which will recognize the work of Michel André, an expert in acoustic technology applied to the protection of the marine environment, Lorenzo Quinn, a contemporary sculptor who has contributed to raising awareness of the importance of protecting the environment, and Iosune Uriz, a leading scientist specializing in the taxonomy, biology and genetics of marine sponge populations.
Activities all along the Mediterranean coast:
In addition to the main event, during the Bluewave Days, several activities are being organized throughout Spain. Among them, the Sustainable Diving Week in different municipalities of the Costa Brava, which aims to encourage the participation of citizens in various research initiatives and facilitate the discovery of the underwater world to groups with special needs. During the sustainable diving week, conferences, exhibitions, marine and underwater cleanups, workshops, outings for groups with special needs and photography contests are being held. On the coast of Barcelona, the Costa Daurada, the Balearic Islands and the coast of Malaga, a week of underwater activities is also being held, such as underwater photography days and beach and port cleanups. These actions are complemented by training in schools and institutes and sustainable sports projects that will reach more than 1,000 children.
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