On 22 November 2025, the Municipality of Cefalù organised its Local Mobilisation Workshop in the context of the RECIRCLE MED project, marking a significant milestone in integrating blue and circular economy principles to shape the future of tourism.
Held at the City Hall’s Council Room, the workshop brought together representatives from local authorities, NGOs, tourism stakeholders and regional organisations. It also served as the opening event of the European Week for Waste Reduction, underscoring its alignment with the Municipality’s broader environmental priorities.
The primary objective was to mobilise and engage participants in the co-creation of Cefalù’s Blue Action Plan, an integrated strategy focused on promoting resource efficiency, environmental protection and sustainable tourism practices.
Institutional Opening
During the opening session, the Assessor for Environment, Ms. Mancinelli, presented the city’s engagement activities towards a sustainable city and tourism. She reaffirmed Cefalù’s strong commitment to the RECIRCLE MED project and to enhancing local actions involving stakeholders and the wider community.
Additionally, Ms. Di Stefano, president of Federalberghi Palermo (Federation of Hotel Owners of the Province of Palermo), pledged active involvement, particularly in engaging local hotel owners in the development of the Blue Action Plan. This collaboration highlights the critical role of public-private partnerships in achieving sustainable tourism goals.
Introducing RECIRCLE MED & the Blueprint for Blue Action Plans for Circular Tourism
Subsequently, Mr. Andrea Vignoli and Mr. Roberto Grassi from the Municipality of Cefalù presented the RECIRCLE MED project and the Blueprint for Blue Action Plans for Circular Tourism, developed within the project.
Both speakers underlined the importance of cooperation and collaboration—both at project and local level—in developing the local plan, while also enabling comparison and knowledge exchange with other Mediterranean DMOs and public administrations.
Knowledge Sharing and Best Practices
The following session featured presentations about relevant initiatives that can serve as best practices for project developments.
Mr. Alessandro Melillo (PRISM Social Enterprise) resented the results of TOURISMED (former Interreg MED project with a pilot action in Trabia, Sicily) and REBOOT MED (one of the two ‘inspiring’ projects of the RECIRCLE MED concept).
To follow, Mr. Andrea Morabito (Greening the Island Foundation) presented the initiative and project about Circular islands, while Mr. Giuseppe Sanfilippo (Director of the GALP Golfo Termini Imerese) presented the ITI “La costa d’oro”.
Interactive Session: Needs, Priorities & Perspectives
The event continued with the interactive session, where participants had the opportunity to actively contribute with their perspectives. The results revealed:
- A strong understanding of blue and circular economy concepts among stakeholders
- High recognition of sustainable practices in tourism
- Broad agreement on the benefits of adopting the RECIRCLE MED Blueprint
Participants identified key actors’ engagement and cross-sector collaboration as the main challenges, alongside gaps in data availability and technical expertise. At the same time, they highlighted significant opportunities, including improved knowledge mapping, better resource management, and enhanced sustainability assessment.
Closing Remarks
The event concluded with the closing remarks from the Mayor, who consolidated the initial messages of the Cefalù administration on full engagement to support sustainable tourism in general, RECIRCLE MED project. Contributions were also delivered by the WWF regional representative, Mr. Pietro Ciulla, and the PLASTIC FREE local representative, Mr. Dario Scalia.
A Promising Start
The workshop concluded on a positive note, with strong engagement from participants and a shared willingness to contribute to sustainable transformation. The active involvement of local authorities and stakeholders sets a solid foundation for the next phases of the RECIRCLE MED project.
As Cefalù moves forward, the outcomes of this mobilisation workshop will play a crucial role in shaping a more resilient, resource-efficient, and environmentally responsible tourism model.
Let’s shape the future of sustainable tourism together!
