OT-Med is a scientific and financial partner of "Sillage", a multidisciplinary expedition, which set sails to study the interactions between humans and his environment on the coastline of the Mediterranean Sea between large cities and small islands. This expedition gathered scientists, local stakeholders and coastal inhabitants in order to rethink the Human-nature relationships and establish a common scientific basis to consider sustainable solutions for the future of the Mediterranean. Ten scientists share their knowledge and are committed for a 3 years expeditions, which include one month at sea per year in 2015, 2016 and 2017. The first expedition left from the MuCEM in Marseille on the 26 of September 2015 for a month campaign towards Naples (Bastia, Tuscan Archipelago, Pontine Islands, and Naples). Ultimately, this project aim to contribute to the improvement of the socio-environmental situation in the Mediterranean, by the identification of interactions, key issues, challenges and strengths of the Human-nature relationships. After the three years expedition, major trends could emerge, allowing the researchers to promote and set up interdisciplinary research programs.
Surveys were conducted at each stopover in order to understand the social representations of Human relationship to nature and natural heritage. For a shared vision and the understanding of coastal and biodiversity issues, reflective workshops will be set up, bringing together different categories of local stakeholders. Fishermen are best placed to consider the status and trends of the marine resources. Therefore, scientists from Sillage made interviews to collect their stories and share their knowledge. Throughout the expedition, land and marine data has been collected, in order to study the effect of climate change and human impact. Finally, the historians, anthropologists, and archaeologists scientists of the team, shared their knowledge on board and during all the actions. By crossing various visions of the Mediterranean, between heritages and becoming, the interdisciplinary expedition Sillage sailed along the Mediterranean coastline to explore man's relationships to its environment and to address in a global and integrated approach our ways of perceiving and interacting with the sea.
More about Sillage: click here (in French)
WATCH THE VIDEOS
Chapitre 1 : départ de Marseille from Sillage Odyssée on Vimeo.
Chapitre 2 : l'équipage from Sillage Odyssée on Vimeo.
Chapitre 3 : Les changements globaux from Sillage Odyssée on Vimeo.
Chapitre 4 : Petites îles de Méditerranée from Sillage Odyssée on Vimeo.