Operation: “Rescue Ventimiglia for Future” – December the 22nd, 2019

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Presentation de l’initiative “Rescue for Future”

“Rescue for Future” is an iniative led by the “Green Royal Women and the First Ladies” in the framework of the IMEDD’s proposal to the United Nations for a UNSDG18. One of the aspects is to help the after environmental crisis to the lands that suffered from terrible natural catastrophes.

The goal is to raise people’s awareness and send a call for rescue to the population and public organizations of the areas of the devasted places, in order to bring support and help the cleaning. Indeed, with the more frequent storms and floodings, the beaches and the shores suffer from big tsunamis of woods and other waste that need to be cleant for the safety and the health of all.
Read more about the initiative “Rescue for Future” here.

Context of the city of Ventimiglia

The city of Ventimiglia in Italy is indeed the city that inspired many initiatives of this UNSDG18 considering its strategic and international position at the French/Italian border and close to Monaco (many border movements).
Ventimiglia was also the city in which the UNSDG18 were tested between 2012 and 2019 before the official launch by the IMEDD at the COP25 in Madrid in the early December 2019 and it was also the first city of the world to accept to illuminate the city in green and in rainbow to show support regarding the fight against climate change and for a better preservation of the environment for the future generations.
Read here: Ventimiglia, first world city to be illuminated in green

It also happens that the city of Ventimiglia entrusted its UNSDG plan to the IMEDD, supporting the organization of the IMEDD’s yearly project of awareness for the European Commission in the framework of the European Week for Waste Reduction in november 2019.
Read here: A need of a European focus for the cleaning of the Roya River and the beaches of Ventimiglia

The wood and waste tsunami in Ventimiglia: 23rd-24th of november 2019

While everything about the cleaning of the waste was being improved due to a joint collaboration with the whole population and the city, and the IMEDD’s initiatives for the European Week for Waste Reduction, a terrible water storm event happened on the week-end of November 23-24, 2019. The two rivers of the city were totally flooded by the very heavy rains. In the same time, the Mediterranean Sea was also in a storm with very big waves. Two days of intense and devastating rains led to a massive tsunami of woods and waste that was left on the city beaches, at such a scale, that a normal beach clean-up by the only people of the city, is not possible.

The city of Ventimiglia needs to be supported by the local Italian, French, Monaco and International populations, (due to its position at the French/Italian border).

Date and place of the “Clean-up day event” in Ventimiglia: 22/12/2019 from 8:30 am to 6:30 pm
Event on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/events/2515556075339709/

Who is concerned?

Everybody is concerned, though, considering the huge size and dangerosity of the wood tsunami, the IMEDD informs the parents that for safety concerns, it’s advised not to bring the children. The IMEDD is not responsible in case of accident. The IMEDD only launches a call for participation, though each participant is a volonteer responsible of its own safety.

The following volonteers  profiles are the first to be concerned:

  • the fire people
  • the army people
  • the police people
  • the sport people
  • the litter picking people
  • the communities of the environment and sustainable development

The attention must be focused on the complexity of the fieldwork.

Photo of the damages on the Ventimiglia Beach – 26/11/2019 (2 km are ravaged)

How to prepare ?

For security reasons, the following clothes are advised:

  • big shoes (like the ones used for the building or mountain)
  • high boots until the knees (in some places, we are close or in the water)
  • a big jumper (it could be cold considering the date)
  • a big raincoat and a bonnet (it could be cold)
  • a pair of big gloves (we find very harmful things in the waste)

For the litter picking:

  • bring some big black and resistant plastic bags
  • containers

The bags for the litter picking are not provide. You must bring your own.

Area of action: 2 km

Safety for the picking:

All the attention must be focused on safety.
Some very harmful waste can be found: scrap metal, sharp objects, syringes and needles…

Information and communication about the event “Rescue Ventimiglia for Future”:

On the 22nd of December, the IMEDD will film some parts of the Clean-Up Day event and will publish the whole thing on Facebook after the event under the hashtag:

#RescueVentimigliaForFuture

The participants can also use this hashtag to publish their photos or share their feelings about the waste and wood situation on the Ventimiglia Beaches.

The IMEDD will communicate on the whole event and copy the information to the United Nations, the European Commission and all the Italian public organizations listed, the Green Royal Women and the First Ladies, to make them aware of the Ventimiglia’s recurring issue with the tsunamis of woods on the beach, so they can bring more support in future.