{"id":33681,"date":"2025-09-02T13:51:49","date_gmt":"2025-09-02T11:51:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sunce-st.org\/?p=33681"},"modified":"2025-09-03T11:45:33","modified_gmt":"2025-09-03T09:45:33","slug":"var-under-the-sign-of-posidonia-how-the-sunce-association-united-art-and-ecology","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sunce-st.org\/en\/news\/var-under-the-sign-of-posidonia-how-the-sunce-association-united-art-and-ecology\/","title":{"rendered":"Hvar in the spotlight for posidonia: how the Sunce association united art and ecology"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

On Friday, August 29, 2025,<\/strong> the historic Arsenal building in Hvar transformed into an impressive stage, where the sea narrated its story through the figure of its guardian \u2013 Posidonia oceanica<\/strong><\/em>. In the evening, the facade of this landmark was turned into a monumental canvas for an audiovisual projection combining art, science, and technology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The voice of Posidonia, the seagrass often referred to as the \u201clungs of the sea,\u201d was embodied by a siren with an angelic voice. In a dialogue with a sailor, she highlighted both \u2013 her role in the sea and the reasons for her endangerment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The entire event was orchestrated by the Split-based association Sunce<\/strong> and the projection\u2019s creator Tomislav Br\u0111anovi\u0107<\/strong>, who spent the last three months working on the piece.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Author: \u0110ani Ivan\u010devi\u0107<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u2013\u00a0The script evolved through a process, not as a one-time write\u2011up. I started from an idea \u2013 to give posidonia a voice. The text and structure shaped themselves through iterations, improvisations, and the blending of visual and sound concepts. This isn\u2019t just a film about posidonia<\/strong>. It\u2019s also a testament to how an artist and artificial intelligence can work hand in hand. It\u2019s a fusion of imagination, knowledge, and technology. For me, the whole experience was special, as I could follow the journey from the project proposal all the way to the premiere in Hvar. I\u2019m convinced this is only the beginning, and that many new stories will emerge from such collaborations, aiming to unite people, art, and nature, \u2013\u00a0said Br\u0111anovi\u0107 after Friday\u2019s premiere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An audience enchanted by the projection<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Attendees confirmed that art and science had indeed been successfully united.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2013\u00a0The projection was very educational and interesting. Unfortunately, many educational things are boring, you have to read about them, and we all have too little concentration for that. It\u2019s easier to watch a short film! \u2013\u00a0 said one visitor, who seemed far from the only one captivated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Author: \u0110ani Ivan\u010devi\u0107<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u2013\u00a0The event was fantastic, and I support every event of this kind because they raise awareness about environmental protection and are important for a better future. I\u2019d heard of posidonia and knew it was endangered, but I didn\u2019t realize how crucial it is for the seabed and the marine ecosystem. I\u2019m glad I got to learn more, \u2013\u00a0emphasized a passerby, who had photographs taken in front of the posidonia meadow photo backdrop during the intermission, next to the sign: Every breath you take, every fish you eat\u2026 It\u2019s thanks to Posidonia!<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Author: \u0110ani Ivan\u010devi\u0107<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Tourist Board of the City of Hvar<\/strong>, one of the event\u2019s co-organizers, highlighted that such unique and original events truly enhance the island\u2019s offerings and encourage more responsible thinking about nature. In addition to the Tourist Board, the project was supported by the City of Hvar<\/strong> and the Public Cultural Institution HVAR 1612<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2013\u00a0We worked intensively on organizing the projection, as this was the first time we did something like this at Sunce, and we are delighted that it resonated so well. Many people stopped in front of the Arsenal, filmed the light show, shared their impressions on social media, and commented on how powerful its message was. Some admitted they had never heard of Posidonia before and were deeply moved by its story, \u2013\u00a0said Ana Mileti\u0107 Milo\u0161<\/strong>, Senior Associate in Sunce\u2019s Nature Conservation Department<\/strong> and one of the key event organizers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Throughout the evening, visitors could also explore Sunce\u2019s booths to learn more about the organization\u2019s work, become members<\/a>, donate<\/a> to marine protection, and receive commemorative gifts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
Author: \u0110ani Ivan\u010devi\u0107<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Author: \u0110ani Ivan\u010devi\u0107<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Author: \u0110ani Ivan\u010devi\u0107<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Cross-border cooperation to protect the sea<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

This entire event was part of the BIOPRESSADRIA<\/a><\/strong> project, implemented by Sunce within the Interreg Italy\u2013Croatia<\/strong> program, aiming to reduce negative tourism impacts on marine and coastal biodiversity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2013 Since it began on March 1, 2024, the BIOPRESSADRIA project has engaged in various activities to protect Posidonia oceanica<\/em>, a seagrass essential to biodiversity. A particularly significant element of this project is the cross\u2011border cooperation that enables sharing of experiences, data, and information between Italy and Croatia, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of protecting valuable marine habitats in the Adriatic, \u2013\u00a0concluded Antonio Pavanello<\/strong> and Saul Dar\u00f9<\/strong>, representatives of the lead project partner, the Municipality of Monfalcone<\/strong>, who attended the event in Hvar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Author: \u0110ani Ivan\u010devi\u0107<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

And where do sailors anchor in the Pakleni Islands?<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Ahead of the light spectacle, project partners and team members embarked on a professional field trip by boat to the Pakleni Islands<\/strong>. The purpose of this visit was to identify and analyze anchor impact sites \u2013on sandy seabeds and Posidonia meadows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Participants conducted underwater investigations to assess the damage caused by anchoring. It was emphasized that anchoring on sandy seabeds has minimal impact, while anchoring in Posidonia meadows inflicts devastating consequences on the marine ecosystem. To educate sailors on anchoring responsibly and protecting posidonia, Sunce distributed the informational leaflet<\/a> Posidonia the Mediterranean\u2019s \u2018super plant\u2019 <\/em>this summer as part of the campaign And where do you anchor?<\/em><\/a>, in collaboration with project partners, and shared it with both domestic and international sailors, marinas, concession holders, hospitality businesses, and others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u2013\u00a0Preserving Posidonia meadows in the Pakleni Islands is essential \u2013 they serve as habitat and spawning grounds for fish and other marine organisms. In the Pakleni archipelago, these meadows are widespread and continuous, forming an extraordinary ecosystem, which, together with other habitats, is vital for sustaining fish populations. Posidonia also prevents coastal erosion, produces oxygen, and contributes to the clarity of the sea, which is a primary attraction of the Pakleni Islands, \u2013\u00a0emphasized Jelena Kurtovi\u0107 Mr\u010deli\u0107<\/strong> from the Public Institution Sea and Karst<\/strong>, one of the project partners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ongoing challenge: a lack of awareness<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

The following day, the project\u2019s Steering Committee and partners <\/strong>held meetings to exchange vital field insights, finalize the remaining budgets, and define the next steps. Discussions focused on new approaches to preserving and restoring the seagrass<\/a> \u2013 such as establishing safe anchoring zones, monitoring meadow health, and developing an integrated management system for marine flowering plants in the Adriatic.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\u2013\u00a0 Satellite monitoring data for ships around Kornati from BIOPRESSADRIA<\/strong> indicate that sailors continue anchoring, despite having free ecological anchoring sites nearby (included in the entrance ticket price). This highlights that the issue is not infrastructural, but behavioral and related to sailors\u2019 lack of awareness. Another problem is the excessive pressure on attractive micro-locations \u2013 places for which there may never be sufficient ecological anchors and moorings during peak season. But do we really want that many boats in those locations, given all the environmental pressures like anchoring, noise, wastewater<\/a>, and marine litter? \u2013\u00a0stressed Zrinka Jakl<\/strong>, Head of the Nature Conservation Department at Sunce<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To tackle this widespread lack of awareness, Sunce announced that the projection premiered in Hvar on August 29 will be shown again on Friday, September 26, 2025<\/strong>, at Veliki Revelin<\/strong> on Kor\u010dula. Mark your calendars, join us, and help us protect the sea!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"biopressadria-logo\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Author of the cover photo: \u0110ani Ivan\u010devi\u0107<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

An impressive projection about Posidonia habitats, which are crucial for the Adriatic, was showcased on Hvar. Art, science, and ecology combined in one event.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":33639,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1183,5],"tags":[1184,211],"class_list":["post-33681","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-biopressadria-cross-border-integrated-strategy-to-reduce-biodiversity-loss-due-to-anthropogenic-pressures-along-adriatic-coast","category-news","tag-biopressadria","tag-posidonia-oceanica"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sunce-st.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33681","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sunce-st.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sunce-st.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sunce-st.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sunce-st.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=33681"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/sunce-st.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33681\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":33704,"href":"https:\/\/sunce-st.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33681\/revisions\/33704"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sunce-st.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/33639"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sunce-st.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=33681"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sunce-st.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=33681"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sunce-st.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=33681"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}