After bringing together thousands of participants in previous years and receiving valuable industry recognition – including two awards at the national IdejaX competition and the Zlatna koza – Capra d’Oro for contributions to sustainable tourism, SeaStar Hero continues this year to engage the community across Istria.

We carry out the project with the support of local tourist boards, hoteliers, municipal companies, city representatives, non-profit organizations, as well as numerous local craftsmen and restaurateurs.

We are especially proud that this year, alongside the tourist boards of Poreč, Pula, and Vrsar, the project is financially supported by INA d.d. through its Zeleni pojas (Green Belt) program, which has been supporting ecological and sustainable projects across Croatia for twelve consecutive years. This year’s Zeleni pojas focuses particularly on urban areas, youth education, community empowerment, and innovative approaches to sustainability. Among more than 200 applications, SeaStar Hero was selected as one of 14 projects to receive funding.

SeaStar Hero continues to grow and develop, with its positive impact recognized by experts. Last year, the project won two gold awards at the prestigious national IdejaX competition – in the categories Best in the Market (Tourism, Culture & Leisure) and Best Positive Change (Nature). The Zlatna koza – Capra D’Oro, awarded by the Istria County Tourist Board, further confirmed the project’s value in promoting and developing sustainable tourism.

In its second season in 2024, SeaStar Hero expanded from 5 to 13 beaches across 6 destinations, attracting three times as many participants as the previous year. Almost three times more waste was removed from the sea, clearly proving the project’s growth and increasing impact on the community and environmental preservation.

Through SeaStar Hero, many citizens, children, tourists, and local stakeholders actively participated in underwater clean-ups for the first time, gaining new knowledge about waste and the importance of personal involvement, while developing a stronger connection to the sea and the community. Thanks to this approach, the project creatively combines communication and social responsibility, making ecology accessible, educational, and fun for all generations.

This year, beachgoers are once again welcomed by SeaStar stations equipped with gear and waste containers. Just a few minutes of goodwill are enough for a small ecological dive that makes a real difference. This years edition makes participation even easier with an automated system that allows participants to independently access equipment at each station, with the entire process digitalized.

We invite all citizens, visitors, and sea lovers to join and become part of the SeaStar Hero story. By participating, they not only contribute to a cleaner and healthier sea but also become part of a wider community that is changing the world for the better, step by step, dive by dive.

For more information about the SeaStar Hero project, visit the official website: www.seastarhero.com and Instagram profile, and learn more about the Zeleni pojas program at: zelenipojas.ina.hr.