The SEIF (Sea Essence International Festival) is the event that takes place annually on Elba – precisely in Marciana Marina – dedicated to the protection and enhancement of the sea and its essence.
Educational, recreational, artistic, scientific and popular activities are planned. The event manifesto is based on the “Elba 2035” project, a participatory process that intends to collect energies and ideas directly from the territory, in order to create a shared vision of sustainable development for the largest island in the Tuscan Archipelago, whose National Park covers 50% of its surface. There are three pillars of the project:
- “The Great Beauty”: landscape, territory and environment;
- sustainable tourism;
- culture, identity and lifestyle.
SEIF on Elba, the international festival dedicated to the sea
The Sea Essence International Festival, which is located in Marciana Marina, the smallest municipality on Elba and in all of Tuscany, is the first international event whose objective is to safeguard and enhance the sea and its essence, aimed at a protection of its environment, its biodiversity and its species but also of its beauty, its history and its contribution to development.
The event is organized by the Acqua dell’Elba Foundation with the endorsement of the Unesco Decade of the Sea and the patronage of the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security, the Coast Guard – Capitaneria di Porto, Ispra, ASVIS, Federparchi, the Tuscany Region, the Tuscan Archipelago National Park, IULM University, Brera Academy of Fine Arts, Symbola, Legambiente, Marevivo, VisitElba, the island’s Youth Forum, Municipality of Livorno, Municipality of Marciana Marina, Pro Loco Marciana Marina, Municipality of Marciana, Municipality of Portoferraio, Municipality of Campo nell’Elba, Municipality of Capoliveri, Municipality of Porto Azzurro, Municipality of Rio.
Educational and recreational activities are planned for children carried out in organization with Legambiente – Tuscan Archipelago section, in-depth seminars on cultural, social and political issues and significant case histories, informative and themed evenings.
“The concept we have chosen is in continuity with the message launched by the United Nations for World Oceans Day 2023, namely Ocean Planet: the tide is turning. It is more urgent than ever to evolve from every point of view – social, economic and environmental – to enhance and protect the marine ecosystem and to achieve the sustainability objectives set by the 2030 Agenda as soon as possible”, explains Fabio Murzi, President of the organizer Foundation.
5th edition program (2023)
The SEIF 2023 program (5th edition) is held from Friday 30 June to Sunday 2 July and focuses on “Transitions“, i.e. the paths to be taken for an ecological transition and sustainability for the marine ecosystem.
Friday June 30th
- 9.00 am: SEIF for boys and girls. Laboratories organized by Legambiente – Tuscan Archipelago section.
- 10.00 am: Plastic&Sea. Presentation of the 2023 edition of Vele Explained on the Island; beach cleaning near Marciana Marina; training session on issues related to plastic at sea for the participants of the “SAIL&EXPLORE” school and the citizens concerned.
- 3.00 pm: SEIF for boys and girls. Laboratories organized by Legambiente – Tuscan Archipelago section.
- 3.00 pm: Informative diving session at the Marciana Marina Diving Center.
- 18.00: Official inauguration of the 2023 edition, institutional greetings and workshop “Change the climate, change the sea”.
- 21.30: Show “AQUADUEO, a very liquid planet”. Music and words with the Banda Osiris on climate change, the greenhouse effect and pollution.
Saturday 1st July
- 9.00 am: SEIF for boys and girls. Laboratories organized by Legambiente – Tuscan Archipelago section.
- 9.30 am: Along Tuscany and its archipelago. Presentation of the project by Massimo Canino at Scali Mazzini.
- 3.00 pm: Informative diving session at the Marciana Marina Diving Center.
- 3.30 pm: CreaSEIF. Choreographic workshop for boys and girls by Viola Centi at Scali Mazzini.
- 18.00: Workshop: “The Economy of the sea”.
- 9.30 pm: Show “Tarantella – Popular rhythms on the go” by Viola Centi.
Sunday 2nd July
- 9.00 am: SEIF for boys and girls; laboratories organized by Legambiente – Tuscan Archipelago section.
- 9.00 am: Hiking activity on one of the paths of the “Via dell’Essenza”.
- 3.00 pm: Dive session for SEIF at the Diving Center in Marciana Marina.
- 3.30 pm: The SEIF under the sea. On board the AMEL SUPER MARAMU, workshop on Plankton and underwater life for young and old by Marta Musso, “Sea Woman” IOC / UNESCO 2022.
- 18.00: Workshop: “The stories that change the sea”.
- 21.30: Show “The History of the Sea”, recited and directed by Alessandro Vanoli, taken from his book “History of the Sea”.
Sustainability is therefore in the sights, to be applied to the marine and insular ecosystem, whose peculiarities can open up challenges and opportunities that have not yet been debated.
