Blue Friday 2024: UNESCO’s Alternative to Black Friday

Blue Friday, UNESCO’s alternative to Black Friday, returns to Venice on Friday, November 29 and Saturday, November 30 with events, workshops, and the presentation of the Blue Guide to Venetian Artisans, created in collaboration with Venezia da Vivere

Talks, screenings, walks, aperitifs, workshops in magical and unexpected locations, and the presentation of the Blue Guide to Venetian Artisans, created in collaboration with Venezia da Vivere: on Friday, November 29 and Saturday, November 30, Blue Friday returns, organized by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (UNESCO-IOC).

Download the PDF of the Blue Guide

The guest of honor is paper, featured in three free workshops with artists and artisans: engraving, papier-mâché, and design, in a location of Secret Venice: Villa Hériot on Giudecca, home of UIA, the International University of Art, a professional training center for the restoration and conservation of cultural heritage. In the neo-Byzantine villa and its large park overlooking the lagoon, international experts pass on their knowledge to the next generations of restoration technicians, art historians, and cultural professionals.

In Italy, approximately 14 million people participate in Black Friday, a black Friday that generates greenhouse gas emissions and the highest rate of packaging waste of the entire year. Blue Friday, organized by UNESCO-IOC, the United Nations organization for ocean sciences, is a weekend of cultural activities: the presentation of the Blue Guide to Venice’s Artisans and a series of meetings and workshops that promote awareness of the importance of the ocean, in line with the objectives of the 2030 Agenda.

In collaboration with local artisans and partners such as Acqua dell’Elba – Benefit Corporation, VRetreats, the hospitality brand of VOIhotels, and Favini, this year’s edition places particular emphasis on the role of paper – a material central to Venetian history – as a means to connect with traditions, share intentions, and initiate an urgent dialogue on the need to safeguard the ocean.

Among the protagonists, actress Bianca Nappi will interview navigator and science communicator Paola Catapano to invite everyone to join a collective project: becoming part of the OCEAN GENERATION.

Information and registration

The two-day program

Friday, November 29
Villa Hériot, Calle Michelangelo 54/P, Giudecca

Blue Friday Workshops (With thanks to Favini for the materials)

• 3:00 PM-6:00 PM
  Tazèbao Workshop, Posters for Environmental Awareness – Milano Green Forum
  
• 3:30 PM-6:00 PM
  Engraving Workshop on recycled materials, with Roberta Feoli De Lucia
  
• 4:30 PM-6:00 PM
  Papier-Mâché Mask Workshop and fairy tale reading – with Atelier Volante

Participation is free. Register by completing the Google Form.

• 6:00 PM-7:00 PM
  Presentation of the Blue Guide with Laura Scarpa and Lorenzo Cinotti of Venezia da Vivere and Francesca Santoro. Moderated by Diana de Marsanich, journalist.
• 7:00 PM-7:20 PM
  Video greeting from Giovanni Soldini and screening of the short film created with video content from the multimedia platform aroundtheblue.org, about Giovanni Soldini’s journey around the world discovering the health of the sea.
• 7:30 PM-8:30 PM
  Aperitif

Saturday, November 30
Ca’ di Dio, Riva Ca’ di Dio 2183, Castello

• 11:00 AM-12:00 PM
  Sala delle Pergole. Greetings from Chiara Vierhcowod, director of Ca’ di Dio, and Francesca Santoro, Senior Programme Officer for Ocean Literacy at UNESCO-IOC.

Talk: Ocean Education, Climate Emergency, Artivism, and Sustainable Tourism
A panel moderated by journalist Diana de Marsanich with Francesca Santoro, Fabio Murzi, with contributions from artist Gino Baffo, with the screening of the video BARENE featuring paintings by Gino Baffo, photographs by Andrea Pancino, and music by Riccardo Boato. Carla Pilia, Marketing Manager of Turisanda will speak about itineraries for conscious travelers, travel proposals among cultures rich in history and precious ecosystems. The various companies will highlight their commitment to ocean sustainability and the importance of reducing environmental impact in their business practices.

Video greeting from Giovanni Soldini and launch of the trailer for the short film created with video content from the multimedia platform aroundtheblue.org, about Giovanni Soldini’s journey around the world discovering the health of the sea.

• 12:00 PM-12:45 PM
  Blue Aperitif. A Totem for the Ocean
  Actress Bianca Nappi interviews Paola Catapano, navigator and science communicator, who will present her book Eightieth Parallel. An Adventure Between Science and Ice (Salani), with book signing courtesy of Libreria Editrice Cafoscarina. Visit to the Barene exhibition by Gino Baffo and Andrea Pancino.

• 1:00 PM-2:00 PM
  Blue Brunch offered by Ca’ di Dio

• 2:30 PM-7:00 PM
  Blue Atelier Tour with Venezia da Vivere

For information and to participate, complete the Google Form

Friday, November 29 at Villa Hériot: workshops, talks, and the Blue Guide to artisans

Built on the island of Giudecca between 1928 and 1929 at the behest of Auguste II Olympe Hériot, Villa Hériot is a neo-Byzantine style building with a large park overlooking the Lagoon, and is the home of the International University of Art (UIA). After the three workshops on engraving, papier-mâché, and design, at 6:00 PM a talk moderated by journalist Diana de Marsanich will present the Blue Guide project with Laura Scarpa and Lorenzo Cinotti of Venezia da Vivere and Francesca Santoro of UNESCO-IOC.

The Blue Guide to Venetian Artisans is a project born from collaboration with the Prada Group and Venezia da Vivere. From clothing to hats, from glass to paper and textiles, from jewelry to masks, it gathers the addresses of over 50 artisans, united by the same blue thread: the commitment to safeguard and pass on Venice’s fine craftsmanship.

“Bringing Venetian craftsmanship into the future: Venezia da Vivere is a project for promoting and communicating Venice’s vast heritage of culture, design, and art. With the Blue Guide and events such as Atelier Aperti, we give voice and face to artisan talents,” says Laura Scarpa of Venezia da Vivere.

“Craftsmanship is an inherently sustainable production model: artisans invest in quality, limit material waste, and ensure a short supply chain and healthy work practices,” adds Lorenzo Cinotti of Venezia da Vivere.

“Since 2019, we have undertaken a path aimed at validating UIA’s founding principles and, where possible, updating them, expressing their meanings through workshops, masterclasses, courses, and open lectures,” says Alessandro Marinello, President of UIA. “All these activities share a common characteristic: multidisciplinarity, an approach to teaching that UIA inherits from the masters of the past who founded and animated it, and which today it wishes to pass on to new generations.”

Among the unmissable appointments, at 7:00 PM is the screening of the short film created with video content from the multimedia platform aroundtheblue.org, an online logbook following Giovanni Soldini’s journey around the world discovering the health of the sea, produced by QMI and Groenlandia for the documentary film about his voyage (to be released at the end of 2024).

As Giovanni Cova, President of QMI, explains: “aroundtheblue is a megaphone for the climate urgency we have been facing for years. For this reason, we have collected with Giovanni Soldini direct testimonies from experts, scientists, and activists in every part of the planet, engaged daily in this fundamental global challenge; many contents that since May 2023 we have been publishing regularly, to keep attention constantly alive on these issues.”

Saturday, November 30 at Ca’ di Dio: artivism, sustainability, and the walk discovering artisans

On Saturday, November 30, Ca’ di Dio, a hotel in the VRetreats collection, the hospitality brand of VOIhotels, will host a round table moderated by journalist Diana de Marsanich with the main partners of Blue Friday: Acqua dell’Elba, VRetreats, Turisanda, Progetto Barene.

Talk: Ocean Education, Climate Emergency, Artivism, and Sustainable Tourism

Chiara Vierchowod, hotel director: “Ca’ di Dio has been a UNESCO partner for several years. With the Blue Aperitif initiative – A Totem for the Ocean, which we host in our Venetian home, we have found a strong ideological connection thanks to the message about the importance of preserving our territory, starting with the Barena, an ecosystem already protected by UNESCO.”

The round table will also include Fabio Murzi, president of Acqua dell’Elba – Benefit Corporation and the non-profit organization Fondazione Acqua dell’Elba, who will speak about SEIF – Sea Essence International Festival, the first international festival dedicated to safeguarding and promoting the sea and its essence. Murzi will present the 2025 edition and the results achieved so far, such as the Blue Schools project on Elba Island: in July, Elba Island was recognized as the first area in Europe where all schools are certified Blue Schools, an initiative promoted by UNESCO-IOC to integrate ocean education into school curricula globally.

“We have always been committed to creating value that is not only economic but also environmental and social. This year too, coinciding with Black Friday, we are organizing our Green Week on Elba Island, a program rich in awareness initiatives on triple sustainability, which will conclude in Venice with participation in Blue Friday, on themes fundamental to us such as the protection and promotion of the sea and its essence and the promotion of an increasingly deep culture of the sea,” declared Fabio Murzi, President of Fondazione Acqua dell’Elba.

The works of Gino Baffo and the photographs of Andrea Pancino – curated by Maria Luisa Lasala – will be exhibited until December 3 in the spaces of Ca’ di Dio

In the context of Artivism, art that questions the emergencies of our time, artist Gino Baffo will speak about the Barene Project: “Art is an aesthetic expression of the human being; it is a means to convey one’s messages and reveal beauty. On raw cotton canvases immersed in mud, the caranto of the barene of our lagoon, for about four months Nature “paints” the colors of winter and spring. Subsequently, the artist finishes the work with spatulas, brushes, and gold drippings as signs of Venice and its wealth. Environment and Nature are daily attacked by new threats: humanity will end up becoming accustomed to the wrong idea of the inevitable destruction of ecosystems, but here lies the duty of artists. It is their work that must have the strength to penetrate the wall of indifference.”

The Blue Aperitif is a conversation for the ocean

The day will conclude with actress Bianca Nappi and navigator and science communicator Paola Catapano, protagonists of Blue Aperitif. A Totem for the Ocean, a format conceived and written by Anna Peregrini, Diana de Marsanich, and Marc Teynier with the contribution of Francesca Santoro, Senior Programme Officer for Ocean Literacy at UNESCO-IOC.

The Blue Aperitifs are events where researchers, scientists, entrepreneurs, artists, and citizens speak about their commitment to safeguarding the ocean, and how each of us can contribute to making the world better with a more “blue” approach, more ethical and supportive. “I chose to participate in Blue Friday because I prefer Fridays at the sea to shopping Fridays,” explains Bianca Nappi, whom we will see in the TV series Come un padre on Rai Uno. “But for this to happen, the sea must not become a landfill.”

The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO

The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC/UNESCO) was established in 1960 as a UNESCO body with functional autonomy, and is the only organization competent for ocean sciences within the United Nations system.

Its purpose is to promote international cooperation and coordinate research programs, the creation of oceanographic services, and capacity development, in order to better understand the nature and resources of the ocean and coastal areas, and to apply this knowledge for the improvement of management, sustainable development, protection of the marine environment, and decision-making processes of its Member States. IOC/UNESCO is recognized through the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) as the competent international organization in the fields of marine scientific research (Part III) and transfer of marine technologies (Part XIV).

As Francesca Santoro, Senior Programme Officer for Ocean Literacy at UNESCO-IOC, explains: “Blue Friday is an invitation to people to reflect on the consequences of their actions and to relate to the ocean in a more meaningful way. By promoting a global culture of care, we can ensure a future in which humanity thrives in harmony with the ocean. Local communities, such as the Venetian one, play a fundamental role in this transformation, and through initiatives like Blue Friday we are contributing to building a society more aware of the importance of ocean health and its relevance to the health of our society.”

Blue Friday partners

Ca’ di Dio is a Venetian hotel whose interior design project was directed by Patricia Urquiola. Always sensitive to sustainability issues, it dedicates strong attention to the city of Venice. In line with the criteria set by Small Luxury Hotels – SLH Considerate Collection, which promote attention to the community, safeguarding of local culture, and environmental awareness, the hotel was renovated with respect for its history, involving local professionals and businesses for both restoration work and furnishings. Ca’ di Dio is part of the VRetreats collection, the hospitality brand of VOIhotels, a collection of historic palaces and charming residences, characterized by unconventional luxury and an intimate and authentic atmosphere.

Acqua dell’Elba

Acqua dell’Elba is a family business founded 24 years ago by Fabio Murzi, Chiara Murzi, and Marco Turoni. Born with the idea of capturing the essence of the sea in a bottle, the company became a Benefit Corporation in 2021. Acqua dell’Elba is committed to sustainability with multiple projects including Elba 2035, the territorial listening and engagement project aimed at launching specific initiatives to make Elba Island even more attractive and sustainable by 2035. In 2022, Acqua dell’Elba strengthened its commitment with the debut of Fondazione Acqua dell’Elba, engaged in programs of national and international scope along five directions: Environment, Education, Culture, Social, and Art. In 2023, it also joined the Kyoto Club, a non-profit organization created by companies, entities, associations, and local administrations that share the objective of reducing greenhouse gas emissions established by the Kyoto Protocol.

Turisanda

Turisanda is one of the travel brands of Alpitour World. With a century of history, it is the longest-standing brand in the Italian “travel industry.” Always recognized and appreciated for its innovative journeys, Turisanda “1924” offers proposals and itineraries designed around travelers’ passions.

Favini

The Veneto-based Favini is a world leader in paper production. From ecological packaging to release materials, it is a partner to global companies in the fashion and design sectors, operates in the paper converting segment for school and office, and is among the world’s leading companies in the production of innovative graphic specialties such as papers based on natural raw materials like algae, fruit, and nuts.

Venezia da Vivere

Venezia da Vivere promotes the city’s creativity and engages thousands of people daily on social media by telling the story of Venice as an ideal place to live and create. Raccontare Venezia, a communication agency that creates projects to promote craftsmanship and support local talents, with its founders Laura Scarpa and Lorenzo Cinotti, curates and realizes projects such as Atelier Aperti, Venice Fashion Week, A Dress for Venice, coordinates the network of historic companies of Alto Artigianato Venezia, and brings together a community of creative professionals, artisans, and visual artists to develop projects that connect traditional know-how and contemporary design.