PROFILE OF THE EXCELLENCE
The Italian peninsula, together with its large and small islands, is one of the world’s most beautiful natural spectacles — a place where human creations have blended harmoniously and gracefully into the landscape over the millennia.
An in-depth knowledge of Italy’s seas, coasts, and landscapes, along with the need to safeguard their richness, lies at the heart of this photographic exhibition conceived by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI) for its extensive network of embassies, consulates, and Italian Cultural Institutes abroad.
“We are the seascapes of our long Italian voyage, of our great and tiny islands,” explains photographer Luca Tamagnini. “We discover that we belong to many places by the sea even more than to the familiar ones of our daily lives.” Preserving Italy’s marine landscapes and safeguarding their integrity, Tamagnini adds, is also a moral duty towards present and future generations.
THE EXCELLENCE WITHIN THE VILLAGGI ITALIA AND VILLAGGI IN ITALIA
Organised by the MAECI, the exhibition offered visitors to the Villaggi a fresh perspective on the sea, while also highlighting the value of scientific research and the importance of marine protection.
Supporting the initiative was a wide-ranging programme of conferences and debates dedicated to marine biodiversity and the challenges of sustainability. Among these, the Scientific Conference on Marine Ecosystems in Comparison (Italy–Australia), divided into three sessions — Marine Microbiology and Ecosystems, The Reef, and The Whales — shed light on the connections and contrasts between the oceanic habitats of the two countries.
Special attention was also devoted to the blue economy, which promotes the sustainable management of maritime resources as a key factor for both economic growth and environmental preservation.
Among the main challenges addressed were overfishing, pollution, climate change, and threats to maritime security such as piracy. Tackling these issues requires effective international cooperation, the use of advanced monitoring technologies, and shared policies capable of protecting ecosystems while fostering truly sustainable development.
