Venice Lagoon Plastic Free took part in the Historical Regatta of Venice for the third year as ambassadors of the EU Mission “Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030”, one of the city’s most striking and identity-defining events. Tradition, history, and sport intertwine in this spectacle, which this year drew thousands of citizens and visitors to the banks of the Grand Canal. Our presence at the Regatta remains part of VLPF’s ongoing commitment to the protection of the marine and lagoon environment, in synergy with the Mission’s goals of restoring the health of the seas and inland waters of the European Union through research, innovation, active citizenship, and a blue circular economy.
The Historical Regatta, whose origins date back to the 13th century, opened this year with the traditional parade of multicoloured 16th-century boats, reenacting the welcome of Caterina Cornaro in 1489. The competitive races that followed remain the most prestigious rowing event of the year: the white gondolino of Matteo Zaniol and Nicolò Trabuio took first place among the men, the green mascareta of Silvia Bon and Debora Scarpa won for the third time among the women, and the Venetian crew triumphed in the International University Rowing Challenge, ahead of Padua, Vienna, and Warwick. The day was broadcast live nationally on Rai 2 and followed on local radio, carrying Venice’s traditions well beyond the city itself.
In this context, rich in history and meaning, VLPF sailed along the Grand Canal aboard a caorlina, a traditional Venetian boat provided by Remiera Castello, an active member of Venice’s Community of Practice within the SeaClear2.0 project, created by VLPF to promote concrete actions.
Waving the flag of the Mission Ocean, VLPF delivered a strong and urgent message: to protect Venice and its lagoon from marine litter pollution, particularly from single-use plastics and contaminants that undermine its eco-system. Venice and its lagoon, a UNESCO World Heritage site of outstanding universal value, is both a natural laboratory and a privileged space in which innovative solutions for preventing and combating marine pollution can be developed.
For one day, the Historical Regatta represented not only the celebration of Venetian roots and traditions, but also the opportunity to reaffirm before citizens, institutions, and an international audience that safeguarding the lagoon and its ecosystems can no longer be postponed. With our flags parading along the Grand Canal, Venice Lagoon Plastic Free sought to stress that Venice can and must work more substantially towards sustainability beyond the usual rhetoric, by uniting the strength of historical memory with responsibility for the future.