by InTrieste
As rising sea levels fuel fears that Venice will be completely submerged one day, local children are being taught how to protect the lagoon, a fragile ecosystem threatened by climate change.
Last week, around 40 five-year-olds attended an outdoor lesson on the shores damaged by the waves from motorboats speeding to and from Venice on Torcello, an island located in the northern part of the lagoon.
They splashed in the mud, made fish out of recycled papier mache, collected sea water samples, and drew pictures of the natural environment as part of a UNESCO initiative.
In 2021, UNESCO warned that Venice might be placed on its endangered list, citing the need to manage tourist numbers. The city avoided that humiliation by agreeing to prohibit large cruise ships from using the lagoon, which were then diverted to our Trieste.
UNESCO hopes that the education initiative will encourage the next generation to think more deeply about how Venice can be preserved – and to take action.
The project is part of a larger UNESCO educational programme that began in 2019, and is sponsored by the luxury fashion brand Prada. It is dedicated to the preservation of the sea and involves schoolchildren from all over the world.
