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The discussion highlighted how climate change disproportionately impacts underrepresented communities and groups that often lack a voice at policy and political levels. Speakers emphasized the need to protect both marine ecosystems and the communities that depend on them, a key pillar of WWF Mediterranean’s strategy 2025–2030 and central to WWF’s Mediterranean Marine Initiative, which supports sustainable fishing and advocates for small-scale fishers. Puglia, where the festival was hosted, is home to a significant fishing community that also includes women fishers.

Several of these women previously took part in a WWF-led workshop in Split, Croatia, last April—the first in a series of events aimed at strengthening connections among women in fisheries. The initiative creates opportunities to exchange best practices and build a strong regional network, one capable of amplifying advocacy efforts and shaping both national and international policies.

The Otranto panel not only gave a platform to fishers but also included journalists who had participated in the Split workshop. With their extensive coverage of Mediterranean issues, they brought valuable perspectives on the societal and geopolitical challenges the region is facing.

By bridging the voices of women in fisheries with those of the media, WWF Mediterranean is helping to ensure that the urgent realities of climate change and social justice are placed firmly at the centre of regional and international dialogue.