Acqua dell'Elba Foundation - Results 2024
Environment
In 2024, the Foundation continued its work on the project "The Way of Essence", a sensory journey along the coast of the Island of Elba, in collaboration with the Tuscan Archipelago National Park. Stages 2, 3, 4 and 5 have been inaugurated, for a total of 66.5 km, enriched with new signs and QR codes that offer details on flora, fauna and points of interest. This project, started in 2011 and reinforced in 2022, aims to enhance the Elba landscape and promote sustainable hiking tourism. Stages 6, 7 and 8 are currently available and will be equipped with the same services in the coming months.
As far as the protection of the sea is concerned, the 2024 edition of "Clean Sea" involved 20 diving centres and more than 100 children from the Casa del Duca Primary School in Portoferraio, engaged in the collection of waste along the coasts. Almost 1,000 kg of waste have been removed from the seabed and beaches of the Island of Elba, with the support of ESA (Elbana Environmental Services). The initiative, launched in 2010, has continued to strengthen collaboration between private bodies, citizens and institutions.
Education
In 2024, the Foundation continued to invest in education with the "Books Project". For primary schools, the Tortoise silent-book was donated to kindergartens and primary schools in Portoferraio , Porto Azzurro and Campo nell'Elba. The book, made with colour images that replace the text, which by its nature is inclusive and lends itself to be browsed by adults and children, overcoming the limitations related to reading or language. In secondary schools, the project, started in 2022, has enriched the libraries with 100 new volumes, with a particular focus on financial education, thanks to the collaboration with FeduF. Students from classes 3A Graphic Design and 4E Hotelier made group work on savings, taxation and investments, which was presented at at the end of May.
The "Blue Schools" project has made the Island of Elba the first European territorial unit in which all schools have been certified as UNESCO "Blue Schools". This milestone was celebrated during SEIF 2024, confirming the Foundation's commitment to environmental education through initiatives that include exhibitions, scientific laboratories and projects on the sea.
Culture
The 2024 SEIF - Sea Essence International Festival had "Connections" as its theme, underlining the link between nature, culture and love for the sea. The festival offered more than 10 free activities, including diving, walks along the Way of Essence and workshops for children with SEIF 4 Kids. The evenings were enriched by musical and theatrical performances, such as the concert by the singer Karima in honour of Burt Bacharach, and the first edition of the SEIF Prize, awarded to Marco Rossato for his commitment to marine sustainability.
Health and Social
The Diversamente Sani association has continued to be supported by the Acqua dell'Elba Foundation. In 2024, the Foundation donated 20 dermatological visits for the prevention of skin cancer to members of the association, and organized a webinar in collaboration with the Humanitas Foundation for Research, focused on the prevention of skin cancers. The Foundation has also encouraged its customers to support the association through direct donations.
Art
The Arte Acqua dell'Elba Award 2024, now in its eighth edition, explored the theme of 'Connections', shared with SEIF 2024. Twenty works by students of the Brera Academy of Fine Arts have been exhibited at the Telemaco Signorini Visual Arts Hall in Portoferraio, from 25 June to 2 July. The three winning works, "Archipelago" by Alessia Bressan, "Dona nobis pacem" by Anna Leopardi and "Ask pollen" by Maria Chiara Pernici, received scholarships worth 1,500 euros each. The Prize has strengthened the link between art and sustainability, helping to enrich the Acqua dell'Elba Art Collection and the cultural capital of the Elba community.