Protect Blue - Policoro
This October saw the third Protect Blue gathering since it’s launch in Noli last summer. Earlier this year the Protect Blue team headed to Bermuda in collaboration with Plastic Tides to host a 4-day event for ocean advocates.
The event took place in Policoro, a small coastal town in the Southern Italian region of Basilicata from the 4th to the 7th October. Working alongside local NGO Greenrope, Protect Blue welcomed a diverse group of activists, ocean conservationists & sustainability experts for a conference with a difference. Rather than spending days indoors listening to speakers and watching endless powerpoint presentations, the Protect Blue format looks a little different. Three days of SUP adventures, hiking, ocean swims, boat trips, star gazing & of course, epic Italian food!
Over the weekend, the team went on six awesome micro-adventures led by experts in sustainability, conservation, storytelling, measuring impact & fundraising. They shared stories, tools & strategies to help grassroots activists have a greater impact in the work they do.
Protect Blue, Policoro crew, about to head off on a hike
Presenters included:
Shilpika Gautam
An Indian born, global living, world record-breaking adventurer for purpose. In January 2017, Shilpika led team GangesSUP to the first ever stand up paddle boarded descent of the river Ganga in India, source to sea.
Tom Murray
Co-founder and President of Cuipo – a lifestyle brand dedicated to preserving prime rainforest around the globe. He is responsible for developing and managing Cuipo’s efforts with non-profit fundraising and affiliations with media projects.
Rupert Hutchison
Co-founder of Living Alive, an organisation on a mission to help people discover the personal, social and environmental benefits of cultivating more awe and wonder in everyday life. Rupert is a professional UIMLA Mountain Leader, outdoor educator (forest school & bushcraft practitioner) & facilitator for Natural Change leadership programs.
Elle Adams
Co-founder of Living Alive, with a background in graphic design & a passion for purpose-led business & collaboration. A mindfulness practitioner & alumni of Schumacher College – A Transformative Learning Community for Personal, Ecological and Social Change.
Stefano Bellomo
Marine biologist & founder of Greenrope – an Italian non-profit using science and education to inspire people to care about nature. Stefano also works with Jonian Dolphin Conservation – a Scientific Research NGO that studies and preserve the cetaceans of the Gulf of Taranto.
What makes Protect Blue unique (other than using micro-adventures instead of presentations) is that it’s a flat conference, meaning that every speaker takes part in every activation, and the emphasis is on collaboration & co-creation. We paddle together, hike together, eat together and learn together.
“You know that quote – If you’re the smartest person in the room, you’re in the wrong room? Well, Protect Blue is the right room, except there isn’t a room, only a party wave of change.”
– Gordon Middleton, Plastic Tides
“Protect Blue is an immersive, deep dive into topics that are important to the future of our planet ~ providing a springboard toward sustainable solutions.”
– Josh Figgs, Compass Coalition
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON BLUE.STAR-BOARD.COM