Let's clean up our beaches

On 27 August 2026 at 08:00, the tourism promotion association Manduria d’aMARE, with the moral patronage of the Municipality of Manduria and EUROPE DIRECT Taranto, will hold the first edition of the “Beach Clean-Up” along the Manduria coast.

Open to all citizens, the event will begin in Piazza delle Perdonanze in San Pietro in Bevagna with a short introduction and institutional greetings. Participants will then move to the Specchiarica and Borraco areas to collect litter from the beach and surrounding dunes. Marine biologist Greta Nembrini will accompany the group, offering insights into local biodiversity and answering questions. At the end of the activity, the collected waste will be weighed and correctly sorted.

The clean-up is a practical act of active citizenship, giving everyone the opportunity to help remove waste from coastal areas while reflecting on the impact of daily consumption habits and the importance of a more plastic-free lifestyle. Around 570,000 tonnes of plastic enter the Mediterranean Sea each year, according to WWF, while the World Economic Forum estimates that by 2050 there could be more waste than fish in the oceans. Participation is free and open to citizens, families, associations and local operators, with no previous experience required. Participants are advised to bring hats and sun cream; the organisers will provide water, gloves and bags for separate waste collection.

For information and registration, contact Rossella Modesti at rossellamodestilibero [dot] it (rossellamodesti[at]libero[dot]it) or 3331827289.

The event forms part of the European Climate Pact, a European Commission initiative that encourages citizens and local communities to take part in the transition towards a more sustainable and resilient Europe. It also contributes to the EU Beach Cleanup campaign, another European Commission initiative supporting local action against marine pollution. These links with European initiatives increase the project’s visibility and create opportunities for future cooperation with organisations and communities committed to protecting the coast.