A major underwater ecological clean-up campaign entitled “Cleanup Without Borders – IX. International Children’s Diving Ecological Patrol” took place at the Veli Jože campsite in Savudrija, with the participation of over 80 divers from Croatia and Slovenia and more than 50 children from Ukraine, Glina, Zagreb and Slovenia. The event was also attended by guests, Ukrainian veterans as part of a re-socialisation programme that is conducted at the Veli Jože campsite.

“As a closed ecosystem, the Adriatic Sea is extremely vulnerable to pollution, especially from land, which accounts for 80% of pollution. Plastic and microplastics are particularly harmful as they significantly affect the biodiversity of the Adriatic Sea, which is home to over 7,000 different species, a large proportion of which are endemic. In addition, there is the emergence of other invasive species, ocean acidification and eutrophication problems caused by mass tourism and the discharge of nutrients through sewage and runoff from agricultural land. It is therefore crucial to sensitise the youngest age groups to the need to protect the sea from pollution through such actions so that we can all preserve this extremely valuable but fragile resource,” emphasised Mario Šiljeg, director of the Josip Juraj Strossmayer Water Institute. .