Conference: "Nicolas Barraqué: Views from a photographer in love with the Mediterranean".

A Fragile Heritage Essential to the Development of Life: A lecture and discussion featuring video presentations, followed by a book signing

How can I describe my relationship with the Mediterranean?………….childhood memories, from spearfishing before moving on to scuba diving when I was 15. My first trip to Mykonos at age 19, and a passion that hasn’t waned since.
My view of the Mediterranean isn’t the one currently in vogue in the media; it doesn’t conform to current conventions. To me, the Mediterranean is magnificent. It has been very sick, but for over 40 years, many people have come to its aid. We’ve tried to understand and protect it.
For those of you in this room who are over fifty, remember the tar stains on your clothes after every trip to the beach, the recurring ear infections from swimming in the gulfs where the summer population had quadrupled or quintupled the number of residents…

Since then, we’ve built wastewater treatment plants and restricted certain destructive practices, such as the “gangui” that mowed down the Posidonia. We’ve come to understand the major role Posidonia plays in oxygen production, as a nursery for young fish, and in protecting the beaches. We now restrict anchoring in the seagrass beds… We educate children at festivals and showcase its secrets at ports and along major waterways.
My point is not to say that everything is rosy or that we no longer need to do anything; rather, it is to say that for many, many years, significant actions have helped restore a vibrant sea. The Mediterranean has an astonishing capacity for resilience and is capable of regaining its color and vitality. We must continue these efforts, continue to learn about it, and help others understand it.