Mediterranean Coast Day is celebrated on September 25th.
After the main celebration for Mediterranean Coast Day kicked off this morning at Đardin in Split, the celebration still continues with other activities throughout the weekend. Divers from the Association for Underwater Activities 'Rostrum', together with members of the Diving-Ecological Club Solin, will host an underwater cleanup on Sunday, September 23rd in Vranjica. In an action aimed at raising ecological awareness, assistance will be provided by members of the local fire brigade as well as volunteers in charge of receiving and disposing of waste. The divers invite all interested parties to support them in the action which begins at 9:00 am on Sunday, with the dive expected to follow at 10:15 am.
The underwater cleanup in Vranjica is only one of twenty actions per year for the volunteers of UPA Rostrum. In addition to the fascinating scenes from the depths of the deep blue sea, the underwater world, unfortunately, also conceals unimaginable amounts of waste. The main culprit for this, as the Secretary of Rostrum Marko Lete points out, is humans. That is why it is imperative to continuously work on education and raising awareness of the importance of preserving the coast and the sea. Some 50 diving lovers will participate in the action in Vranjica.
"Two months ago, we conducted underwater research and made a map of Split where we have drawn all the critical points on waste in the sea. Vranjica is one of these points, thus requiring this cleaning action. The aim is to appeal to the local population - and experience has shown that locals, not foreign tourists, are the biggest culprits in terms of polluting the sea and the coast - and we should really take into account conserving the flora and fauna,” emphasizes the Secretary of the UPA Rostrum.
Marko Lete reminds us that our part of the Mediterranean is home to many eco-species, and just one handful can capture hundreds of different individuals. In addition to numerous underwater actions, UPA Rostrum volunteers regularly conduct underwater archaeological research as well as diving courses and education.
As part of marking Mediterranean Coast Day, the UPA Rostrum divers hosted a lecture and screening entitled “Underwater Croatia - Archeology, Ecology and Malacology" at the Maritime Museum on Friday, and on Saturday at 10:00 am, the children’s workshop “Secrets of the Adriatic Sea" was also held at the Maritime Museum. Young participants can try modern diving equipment and learn the many diving experiences of then and now, while in the second part of the workshop, they have the opportunity to express themselves creatively on topics related to the underwater world and diving.
For the detailed program of Mediterranean Coast Day, visit www.coastday.org
