Political relations might not be at their best, but the environment is a big enough reason to get the kids from both countries together.
As Glas Istre writes on the 3rd of June, 2018, under the organisation of the Diving Club HRVI Nemo-Adriatic and Zagreb Holding, the third international children’s diving eco-patrol was held this weekend.
More than fifty Croatian and Slovenian youngsters, together with their diving instructors from the HRVI Nemo-Adriatic diving club from Croatia, as well as with instructors from Slovenia, actively participated in the cleaning up of Piran Bay at the Veli Jože camp in Savudrija.
”All education begins at the youngest age, from childhood. Veli Jože camp is a specialised children’s camp which has hosted children from all over the world. This is one of Zagreb Holding’s pearls, and this valuable action is precisely aimed at education on beach safety as well as the importance of preserving the seabed and the sea. We all work together to make sure our children enjoy their stay here through our diverse entertainment activities. With such actions, we’re making the public aware of the importance of education from the earliest of ages. On behalf of Zagreb Holding, we’d like to wish all of our youngest guests, as well as all our other guests, a pleasant stay,” said Ivan Papac, the leader of the camp located in Veli Jože, Savudrija.
Children aged seven to seventeen enthusiastically joined in with the ecological cleaning of Piran’s underwater world and enjoyed a unique opportunity to accompany the diving instructor under full diving equipment to get acquainted with the charm and beauty of the Croatian seabed.
The safety of children and young people was attended to and cared for by the diving instructors of HRVI Nemo-Adriatic who are also specialist rescue volunteers, as well as by diving instructors from Slovenia itself.
”For many years, we’ve been working on the education and promotion of diving through the ”View into the blue” (Pogled u plavo) project conducted by our friends from Croatia. We decided to show that there are no boundaries under the sea. Most of the guests from this camp come from Slovenia and the guests themselves have been included in our program. We hope that this will resonate where needed and we believe we should look after the Adriatic sea together,” said Miran Janežič, a diving instructor from Slovenia.
The overall goal of this, the third International Children’s Diving Eco-patrol is to raise general awareness of the importance of preserving the environment and the sea, as well as proper diving safety, in both children and young people.
”We picked up plenty of rubbish. I pulled out a plastic bottle and a bag that somebody threw into the sea. I was diving with a diver and it was great to dive,” said 10-year-old Anamarija.
Through the educational part of the Sea Safety program, children had the opportunity to be educated about the safety of the sea and the sea and to get acquainted with diving equipment and equipment for safe navigation (vests, helmets, protective suits). Educators from Croatia and Slovenia have been educated by more than 50 children during special programs through special programs.
This eco-patrol was joined by Borut Miklavčič, former Minister of Health of the Republic of Slovenia, Božo Dimnik, Honorary Consul of Croatia in Slovenia, PGD Sevnica from Slovenia, and Zvonimir Šostar, Director of the Public Health Institute ”Dr. Andrija Štampar”.
The third international children’s diving eco-patrol took place under the patronage of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Energy and the Ministry of Demography, Family, Youth and Social Policy.
