Between the crystal-clear sea and the coast of Puglia lies a place where nature and communities coexist in harmony: the Torre Guaceto State Nature Reserve and Marine Protected Area.

Today, this territory is seeking recognition as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve within the framework of the Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme, which celebrates places where biodiversity conservation is integrated with sustainable development and the active involvement of local communities.
To support this journey, Worldrise, with the support of The Plum Foundation, has created a project that brings together art, community and territory: “We Are Biosphere”.

At the heart of the initiative is a camouflage bodypainting installation created by artist Lela Perez (Emanuela Peretto), where the human body merges with the landscape, becoming part of the biosphere. An image that shifts our perspective: we are not separate from nature, but an integral part of it.

The protagonists of the artwork are Tommy Lamarina, Oronzo Antico, Alessia Blasi and Giada Pignatelli, citizens of the municipalities of Brindisi, Carovigno, Mesagne and San Vito dei Normanni, who become symbols of community participation in the protection of the territory.

Building on the performance, the project expands into public spaces through a network of installations spread across the four municipalities and the Marine Protected Area, transforming the territory into a shared artistic journey:
• San Vito dei Normanni – Chiostro dei Domenicani (Via San Domenico)
• Mesagne – Auditorium comunale “Elio Bardaro” (Via Castello)
• Brindisi – Viale Regina Margherita (waterfront)
• Carovigno – City hall of Carovigno (Via Giuseppe Verdi 1)
• Torre Guaceto – Info point Lido Punta Penna Grossa

A series of site-specific installations that connect art, community and landscape, bringing together urban spaces and nature as a single ecosystem.

Emanuela Peretto, known as Lela Perez, is a multimedia artist and self-taught painter from Northern Italy.

She graduated in Fashion Design, specialising in jewellery and metal design, from Politecnico di Milano in 2012, and has been painting since childhood.
In recent years, she has dedicated her work primarily to bodypainting, an art form that allows her to explore the relationship between humans and nature. She is known for powerful, colourful and emotional performances, in which the audience becomes an integral part of the creative process. She specialises in camouflage bodypainting, where bodies merge with the surrounding landscape, conveying a message of unity: “We are one with Nature”.

She has worked worldwide for galleries, festivals, videos, shows and musical performances, in countries including Italy, France, the UK, Portugal, Spain, Germany, Austria, Serbia, Denmark, the United States, Peru, Mexico, the United Arab Emirates, Switzerland, Croatia, Hungary and many others.

When effectively managed, Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) allow marine ecosystems to recover, protect biodiversity and become drivers of social and economic development for local communities.

In this context, the Torre Guaceto MPA represents a world-class example, recognised among the 30 best marine reserves globally, only three of which are located in Europe.

Studies show that well-managed MPAs can increase biodiversity by more than 20% and fish biomass by up to 446%. Larger fish produce more eggs, creating a virtuous cycle of replenishment that also benefits surrounding waters.
The benefits generated by MPAs, however, extend beyond environmental protection: effective marine conservation creates positive social and economic impacts for local communities, supporting fisheries, tourism and sustainable development. The value generated for communities is estimated at around €92 for every euro invested.

Enhancing and protecting these areas through a sustainable development approach contributes concretely to the 30×30 goal: effectively protecting at least 30% of Italian seas by 2030.

Worldrise would like to express its special thanks to The Plum Foundation for its fundamental support in making this initiative possible, as well as to the Torre Guaceto Management Consortium and the Municipalities of Brindisi, Carovigno, Mesagne and San Vito dei Normanni for their valuable collaboration.

“One Ocean One Connection” celebrates the interconnection between ecosystems and communities across the ocean, which unites distant yet similar places, such as Italy and South Africa, transforming Puglia into a creative hub that connects communities, ecosystems, and cultures.

The project is part of the application process for the Torre Guaceto State Nature Reserve and Marine Protected Area to become a UNESCO MAB (Man and Biosphere) Biosphere Reserve and promotes an international partnership between Torre Guaceto and the Garden Route Biosphere Reserve in South Africa. Created by Worldrise with the support of the Plum Foundation and in collaboration with the Torre Guaceto Management Consortium, ‘One Ocean One Connection’ has given rise to two interconnected twin murals: one at the ‘Al Gawsit’ Visitor Center in Serranova, Brindisi, and the other at the KuCoNa Create and Connect Centre in the village of Kurland, South Africa.

Artists Kabo (Gabriele Quarta) in Italy and Lance Khoury in South Africa have transformed the thoughts, words, and drawings of over 170 children involved in educational and creative workshops held in Puglia into works of art, with the participation of young people from Brindisi, Carovigno, San Vito dei Normanni, and Mesagne, the four Apulian municipalities involved in the MAB application process, and in the primary schools of Nature’s Valley and the villages of Kurland and Kranshoek. Their visions inspired the artistic narrative, becoming the heart of the message of connection and shared responsibility for the future of the sea.

The two main subjects of the interconnected murals are the sea turtle and the whale: both migratory animals and travelers, they represent Italy and South Africa and the connection between distant places across the same vast, shared ocean. Between the turtle, symbol of slowness, memory, and resilience, and the whale, emblem of depth and ancestral connection with the sea, a bright and shining sun rises, as a meeting point between the two places. The waves carry the words “the ocean connects us,” also translated into English, African, and Xhosa, one of South Africa’s eleven official languages: a universal message of shared responsibility that crosses the ocean and generations.

“One Ocean One Connection” is an act of poetic artivism: it shows that even distant communities can meet, collaborate, and create together, protecting marine ecosystems through art, sharing, and creativity.

Gabriele Quarta, known as Kabo, was born in 1996 and grew up in Monteroni, a small town in the province of Lecce. It was here that he began to express himself using the walls of the urban space as if they were the pages of his diary. His inclination for art emerged early on, along with the awareness of his desire to become an artist at all costs. The first step in his artistic journey was the Ciardo-Pellegrino art high school, a place that inspired Kabo and where he was able to develop his artistic research. During his years of study, he began to define his artistic vision. The next step was to move to Milan to study painting at one of the most important art academies in the world, the Brera Academy of Fine Arts. Kabo graduated with honors in painting and, in the meantime, began working first with art galleries and then in street art, expressing himself on the walls of cities. It was in this art form that he found his balance, creating an unmistakable style. Despite his young age, he immediately gained important recognition in Italy, winning significant competitions. He founded Putea, a cultural association based in his art studio and in his homeland, which has become a point of reference in the area. In 2023, he introduced a new artistic movement called “urban biophilia,” which intertwines urban art with the surrounding natural elements.

Lance Khoury is an artist specializing in commissioned oil paintings and murals. Growing up in a family of artists, he quickly discovered the joy of creating beautiful things for people.
After school, he attended art school for a few years before traveling to the UK, where he gained experience in decoration and graphic design. Returning to South Africa, he found a home in the beautiful coastal town of Knysna.
He initially worked as a special effects artist, decorating walls and furniture with specific painting techniques. Later, as his experience grew, he began doing commissioned oil paintings and creating murals for restaurants.
Now, 25 years later, he specializes in commissioned oil paintings and charcoal drawings, as well as murals for private clients and large public spaces. For Lance, it is a great joy to work with this wide variety of clients, bringing their visions to life using his creative skills.

Worldrise would like to extend special thanks to The Plum Foundation for its fundamental support of this initiative, the Torre Guaceto Management Consortium for its collaboration, and Boero – il colore italiano and 2C S.A.S. di Spedicato Loredana & C. for providing the paint used to create the Italian mural.

Following the success of the first stage at the Bergeggi Island MPA, the second phase of the AMPlification project, carried out with the support of Ariston in 2023, took place in the picturesque Capo Milazzo MPA.

On October 10, 2023, around 80 students from the G. Piaggia primary school of the Primo di Milazzo Comprehensive Institute took part in an interactive lesson held by our marine biologist. The meeting explored the importance of protecting marine biodiversity and Marine Protected Areas, with a focus on the Capo Milazzo MPA.
Some best practices for domestic sustainability were also shared, suggested by Ariston with a view to promoting more responsible living comfort.
At the end of the activity, each student received a Clementoni game, created in collaboration with Ariston and Worldrise, to accompany them on their journey as “defenders of the sea.”

On World Biodiversity Day 2023, we renewed our collaboration with BioNike with the second chapter of the UN MARE DI STELLE (A SEA OF STARS) project. We visited the heart of the Portofino Marine Protected Area to learn more about the AMPlification project and its support for the 30×30 Italia campaign.

On May 16, 2023, we accompanied journalists and influencers on a day dedicated to learning about and promoting this important stretch of sea, where biodiversity is protected with a view to sustainable development. In the morning, an informative talk was held at the headquarters of the Portofino MPA in Santa Margherita Ligure, followed by an outdoor experience to discover the MPA together with our marine biologist.

In addition, the bars and restaurants within the MPA were provided with a handbook created by Worldrise to raise awareness among visitors and residents about tips and best practices for enjoying the sea and promoting it as consumers.

AMPlification is a Worldrise project, created for this edition in collaboration with BioNike and with the patronage of the Portofino Marine Protected Area.

On December 17, 2022, in collaboration with Ariston, a day dedicated to raising awareness and caring for the Piceno coastline in the Marche region was organized. The initiative included a bio-walk and a beach clean-up on the beach of the municipality of Grottammare (AP).

It was an important opportunity to learn more about the species that inhabit this sea and to work together to protect its ecological value for the benefit of the entire community.

The event was organized together with the promoters of the Piceno Marine Park, a volunteer organization committed to promoting the establishment of a marine protected area along this coastline.

The AMPlification project, carried out in collaboration with Ariston, has been replicated twice within the Bergeggi Island MPA.

The first edition took place on November 26, 2022, with a bio-walk and beach clean-up on Bergeggi beach: a day dedicated to discovering the MPA, the species that inhabit it, and involving the community in the protection of this natural heritage.

The second edition, in May 2023, involved students from the Pertini Primary School in Spotorno and the Secondary School in Noli. After an interactive classroom lesson led by our marine biologist, the pupils guided their families and fellow citizens on a bio-walk along the coast, with the dual aim of raising awareness among adults about protecting the marine environment and helping to remove microplastics and other waste from the Ligurian coast.
At the end of the walk, the students received a Clementoni game, created in collaboration with Ariston and Worldrise, to help them become “defenders of the sea.”

On October 14 and 15, 2022, in collaboration with Ariston, two days of free activities were organized dedicated to discovering and promoting the Capo Testa–Punta Falcone MPA, involving schools, the local community, and the municipal administration.

The program included:
• Lectures in schools conducted by our marine biologist on the wonders of the sea, the main threats and solutions to protect it;
• Press conference on the role of MPAs and the need to establish them to ensure the regrowth of biodiversity, with a speech by Mariasole Bianco, President and Co-Founder of Worldrise;
• A bio-walk on the beach to learn how to “read” the traces left by the sea and understand its state of health;
• Snorkeling guided by our marine biologist to observe the underwater life that populates the MPA up close;
• Cleaning of Rena Bianca beach to remove waste that would risk ending up in the sea with the first storm surges;
• Yoga session at sunset to encourage a (re)connection with the sea thanks to the sound of the waves in the background.

These days have shown how education, involvement, and concrete care for the territory can bring people closer to the sea, promoting a culture of respect and protection of the marine environment for future generations.

We would like to thank Ariston and the Autonomous Region of Sardinia for their support, the Capo Testa – Punta Falcone Marine Protected Area and the Municipality of Santa Teresa Gallura for their patronage.