Mediterranean Coast Day (25 September) is a UNEP/MAP regional annual observance introduced under the Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) Protocol of the Barcelona Convention. PAP/RAC is the promoter of this important observance for the Mediterranean.
The slogan of Mediterranean Coast Day (introduced in 2020) is “The Mediterranean needs you. If you put a seashell to your ear, you will hear it calling”.
Greece is the host of the 2021 edition of Mediterranean Coast Day. Professor Konstantinos Aravossis, Secretary-General for Natural Environment and Water, Hellenic Ministry of Environment and Energy, will deliver a welcome statement at the Mediterranean Coast Day Webinar that PAP/RAC will organize on 27 September 2021.
Ambassador for the Mediterranean Coast
By conferring this title, PAP/RAC recognizes the achievements of persons that inspire people in the Mediterranean region and beyond to better understand and respect the Mediterranean coastal environment.
The Ambassador for the Mediterranean Coast will be announced by Zeljka Skaricic, Director of PAP/RAC, during the webinar to be held on 27 September 2021.
Webinar - A reflection for healthier Mediterranean coasts
On 27 September 2021 PAP/RAC will also organize a reflection on the urbanization of the coast with a focus on coastal tourism.
The webinar will start at 09:00 (CET +1).
Additional information on the programme and connection details can be found here.
Take part in the digital campaign
This year, while COVID-related restrictions remain in place in many Mediterranean countries, we intend to build on the digital campaign that we rolled out last year while expanding, to the extent possible, participation from all actors in the field of environment and sustainable development in the region. Our aim remains unchanged: beating the drum for healthy Mediterranean marine and coastal ecosystems among policymakers, local authorities, members of academia and the media, civil society and the public at large.
You may also wish to help us spread the word on social media by using the hashtags #MedCoastDay / #Act4Med / #BarcelonaConvention in your posts.
Visit the Mediterranean Coast Day website
INFO/RAC, the Regional Activity Centre of UNEP/MAP specializing in information and communication, has launched a website dedicated to Mediterranean Coast Day, where information about events around the Mediterranean and resources about this important observance can be found.
History
The date of 25 September was selected to commemorate the first ratification of the ICZM Protocol by Slovenia. Now more than ever, commitment to compliance and enforcement of the instruments adopted under the Barcelona Convention and its Protocols is critical to the region’s efforts to recover better in the post-COVID era.
From its initial focus on ICZM, Mediterranean Coat Day has evolved to embrace a broader range of themes pertaining to the health of coastal and marine ecosystems in the context of sustainable development.
The Mediterranean needs you. If you put a seashell to your ear, you will hear it calling.
