Throughout its duration, LIFE SEDREMED developed an extensive programme of communication and dissemination, with the aim of making scientific results accessible, fostering dialogue between institutions and citizens, and building awareness around the issue of contaminated sediments.
A key milestone was the event at Circolo ILVA in Bagnoli, designed as an open dialogue between scientists, local associations, and citizens. The initiative allowed the project team to present objectives, clarify questions, and gather expectations and ideas from the territory. This exchange was essential to strengthen trust between communities and institutions, demonstrating how research can serve as a driver of social as well as environmental regeneration. A site visit followed the event, enabling local citizens to discover the implementation area in person.
On the international stage, LIFE SEDREMED gained visibility at the United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC), where it was showcased as an innovative European case study in sustainable sediment management.
Participation in the conference positioned the project within a global context, underlining its contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals and the promotion of a resilient Blue Economy. The participation in the event allowed to extend LIFE SEDREMED’s expert network and engage national and international policy makers on the issue of contaminated sediments.
The LIFE SEDREMED team highlighted the significance of the engagement with the Regional Activity Centre for Information and Communication and the Priority Actions Programme/Regional Activity Centre, of the six Regional Activity Centres of the Mediterranean Action Plan (MAP), itself part of the United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment).
Dissemination also embraced creative and non-traditional channels to broaden outreach. The project’s documentary screening at Lido Pola, a historic community hub in Bagnoli, transformed scientific research into a visual and emotional story. Through images, the event explained to citizens, families, and young people the complexity of sediment contamination and the importance of ecological regeneration, creating a direct link between science, culture, and everyday life. The screening was followed by a debate in which project managers answered to several questions both concenring the porject activities and the future of the area.
LIFE SEDREMED succeeded in connecting local communities, global institutions, and cultural spaces, turning dissemination into a bridge between research and society.
Thanks to this integrated approach, the project not only spread knowledge but also helped build a new collective awareness: sediment management is not merely a technical issue for experts, but a shared challenge that touches on the health, economy, and future of coastal communities.
