“Sea Turtle Exhibition” in Tyre

On the occasion of the “World Turtle Day“, on Thursday 23 May 2019, the exhibition dedicated to sea turtles, created as part of the NEMO project – Mediterranean Coastal Communities”, funded by the Italian Cooperation, was inaugurated in Tyre.

The NEMO project has been implemented by CIHEAM Bari, in collaboration with the Lebanese Ministry of Agriculture and the main actors of the coastal community of Tyre (Tyre Nature Coast Reserve, Municipality of Tyre, Union of Municipalities of the province of Tyre, LAG TYROS, Mosan Center, Syndicate and Cooperative of the fishermen).

The ribbon cutting ceremony was attended by the coordinator of the NEMO project of CIHEAM Bari, Enrico Azzone, the Mayor and President of the Union of Municipalities, Hassan Dbouk, the Director of Tire Nature Coast Reserve, Nahed Msayleb, the President of LAG TYROS, Hussein Alawieh, expert herpetologists Piero Carlino and Simone Tarantino of the Museum of Natural History of Salento, that created the exhibition, representatives of fishermen and local and national institutions.

The objective of the initiative is to make citizens and tourists aware of the importance of protecting sea turtles, often threatened by fishing hooks and nets and, above all, by plastic pollution, mistaken for food.

Moreover, thanks to the Tire Nature Coast Reserve, which will manage the use of the exhibition space, with the collaboration of the local Associations, educational visits will be organized for the children of the schools of Tyre and the province.