We believe that it is important to build public awareness of sustainability issues and we are in the front line of efforts to disseminate models of responsible behavior. For this reason we have decided to partner the Festival of Sustainable Development – a major event dealing with sustainability, promoted by the Italian Alliance for Sustainable Development (ASviS) – from May 22 through June 7.
This year, the Festival has also come on board our ships, which have therefore become ambassadors for sustainable development, hosting events and activities aimed at disseminating the culture of sustainability. The Festival is an active, tangible and stimulating presence involving every crew member and our guests from all over the world. Children too can take part and have fun discovering the SDGs with the specially devised board game Go-Goals!
One of the highlights of the Festival is a national conference called “Sustainable Sea: innovations and solutions for the development of the economy of the sea”, being held on board the Costa Fascinosa today Tuesday, June 5 in Palermo in collaboration with ASviS and Fondazione CMCC (Euro-Mediterranean Center for Climate Change). Alongside us for this event are authoritative partners, notably the CNR (Italian National Research Council), in joint discussion of key issues regarding the marine environment – first and foremost, the problem of plastic waste.
“For the first time the Festival is taking to the sea and featuring a symbolic moment, on June 5, World Environment Day, with an event devoted to Goal 14 (Life Below Water) on the Costa Fascinosa in Palermo. This was a natural choice for Costa, which has always cared for the sea and worked as an agent for positive change, with an approach focusing on our guests as responsible citizens and on our crew members. The sea is very much our element, our home. Safeguarding the marine environment is one of our top priorities and the central theme of our sustainability projects.”

- Stefania Lallai, Costa Cruises’ Sustainability and External Relations Director

A large number of experts are taking part in the debate on key issues regarding the sea and human activities. Among the subjects discussed, Giovanni Coppini from Fondazione CMCC will be explaining the central operational role that technological innovation can and does play in ensuring the safety of many marine-related activities, by means of accurate, reliable and futuristic sea and weather forecasts. An understanding of the fundamental concepts of the sea and the ability to communicate this meaningfully – so-called Ocean Literacy – is a vital part of the dissemination of sustainable practices.

Another crucial subject is sustainable fishing, examined by Franco Andaloro from ISPRA (National Institute for Environmental Protection and Research) and the Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn research institute from a different perspective, focusing on cooperation between stakeholders and best practices with regard to environmental sustainability and the use of marine resources, as illustrated by Emilio Notti from CNR ISMAR (Italian National Research Council - Institute of Marine Sciences). Another keynote speaker is Silvestro Greco, an academic from the Università di Scienze Gastronomiche di Pollenzo (Costa’s partner in the 4GOODFOOD), program), who is providing an update on the progress of implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive in Italy.
Last, but by no means least, the presence of the Coast Guard, whose work ensures maritime safety, underlines the crucial importance of the relationship between all the users of the sea and their close cooperation as a necessary condition for the sustainable development of the marine environment. For further details and information, see www.festivalsvilupposostenibile.it