Small European Tour for Surfrider Foundation: during 10 days Surfrider’ members have been in Spain and Italy to promote the Surfrider identity!
From 2 to 6 August Surfrider has participated to the "Los Juegos Nauticos Atlanicos" in Santander. This is a European event, held since 1995 in a cooperation project between the Atlantic regions.
Surfrider was placed in the "paseo maritimo" and this gave us the chance to interact with hundreds of people! Here we had the chance to have a different perspective of the people’s commitment for the environment and to discuss about the several themes of the association. Furthermore the participants gave us useful information (for instance the presence of the well known media filters on the most popular beaches of Cantabria) and enjoyed participating in our discussions and activities. In fact especially with the youngsters the Surfrider animations marked a great success. The children showed great enthusiasm for the environment, demonstrating a good knowledge of the eco-citizen actions.
Moreover, Surfrider Spanish volunteers and members of the Cantabrian Federation of Surfing welcomed us with the famous Spanish friendliness and organized a parade-auction sale where a beautiful handmade decorated surfboard and a guitar signed by groups Vetusta Morla, El Canto del Loco and La Sonrisa de Julia have been sold and more than 300 € have been collected and donated to the association. Big up! Thank you! Local pro surfer Pablo Gutierrez as well visited Surfrider’s stand and celebrated his fresh gold medal talking with us about environment!
Then from Spain, Surfrider Foundation Europe joined the Italian volunteer Eleonora Frascella, a representative of the Lazio local chapter, in Viareggio to participate to the first edition of Boardland, a festival of surfing and skateboarding. Several brands and industries participated to the weekend and in a festive and friendly atmosphere lot of activities were organized in order to promote in Italy these two activities!
On Saturday Surfrider organized an info point on the "lungomare" of Viareggio where numerous people stopped by to discuss and get information. Once again it was constructive to test the environmental commitment of the participants and discuss about the environment, especially at a local level!
Then, the Sunday was especially designed for children. Indeed, Surfrider sensitized the youngsters who have participated at the free surf courses organized on the beach packed with people! Dozens of children joined the Tommy’s Room (an educational animation for kids) and showed knowledge of the eco-citizen actions sometimes deeper than their parents! At the same time, a small presentation about Surfrider was arranged for the older people, to explain to the surf neophytes the importance of respecting the sea and adopt an eco-citizen behaviour.
In conclusion the result of the Spanish and the Italian events are positive: plenty of contacts with the public, promotion of the Surfrider identity at European level and especially the strengthening of the will to work and be coordinated at European level to preserve oceans, seas, lakes and rivers clean!
