Life vests transformed into key rings

| Subject: International Cooperation

Winners of the contest of ideas to transform the life vests in Lesbos

Image of the groups of finalists

Last Thursday, the 7th of June, in the History Museum of Barcelona took place the award ceremony for the contest to offer a second life to the life vests that are stacked in the beaches of Lesbos (Greece) and that generate an important challenge for the environmental sustainability of the island.

The two winning projects are "Clauer salvavides", designed by Alvaro Insenser and Roger Vendrell and "Valiente para emigrar", by Iliamite Bonfil.

Winner projects

Project Author Description
Clauer salvavides Alvaro Insenser and Roger Vendrell Key ring created using the recycled materials from a life vest.
Clauer
Valiente para emigrar Iliamite Bonfil Folding mattress to lay flat on the ground.
Màrfega

Finalist projects

Project Author Description
Boat Night Christiane Hilmer and Branca Rabelo Toy boat to be used in the beach, pool or bath and that, at the same time, can turn into a night lamp, originating a warm and cosy light.
Boat Night
Mondo Puf Esther Bobé and Cristina del Pozo Pouf tailored with life vest materials.
Mondo Puf
Walk'em Janis Gómez and Ivet del Río Footwear elaborated with life vests.
Sabatilles armilles
Camí, camino, way David Casamián Foldable tent.
Camí
L'Eco Joan Garcia and Júlia Lloveres Material used to create an infinity of objects, such as a glasses case or board games.
Eco

The 5 shortlisted proposals and the two winning projects have been chosen by a technical jury, whose members included Jordi Voltas, Industrial Engineering lecturer in UPC, Oriol Guimerà, Industrial Design lecturer in IED, Matina Kontoleontos, technician at Lesvos Solidarity NGO, Mahmoud Brahim, Syrian refugee in Lesbos, Joan Carles Fernández, from the department of Waste Prevention and Management and Maria Peix, head of the Cooperation Service of the AMB.

They have assessed a total of 22 projects, bearing in mind factors such as originality and authenticity of the proposal, creativity, manufacturability and commercial viability, environmental considerations and visibility in product origin (social value, visibilisation of the life vests...).

The objective of this contest has two main pillars: firstly, to tackle the environmental sustainability challenge in the Lesbos island and, secondly, to engage the students of the metropolitan area in these issues, so that they can feel involved through their knowledge and creativity.

The two winning projects and some of the shortlisted projects will be implemented as of September in this Greek island by Lesvos Solidarity, with the aim to commercialise the products and ensure that the profits are directed to the refugee community in the territory. The award will be a trip to Lesbos, so that the students know firsthand the actions being implemented and start to make patterns of their projects, which will be developed by both refugees and locals.

The event included the presence of Alfred Bosch, vice president of the Area for International Relations and Cooperation, Maria Peix, head of the Cooperation Service of the AMB, Joan Carles Fernández, from the AMB's Waste Services, Francesc Ribot, councillor of Àmbit Badalona Justa Inclusiva, Nour Alchikh, Syrian professor in UNESCO Intercultural Dialog in the Mediterranean, and Rami Tattan, Syrian refugee.

The event was presented by Ignasi Aragay, journalist from the ARA newspaper, who has also introduced the viewing of a video by Txell Feixas, TV3 and Catalunya Ràdio correspondent in Beirut, where she contextualises the refugee situation and showcases the awareness and education labours held for the population because, far from resolving the war conflict, the refugees that had to flee Syria are, in many cases, expelled from the territories where they emigrated to.

Nour Alchikh and Rami Tattan have explained the problematic issue of the Syrian conflict and the migration movements they personally experienced, and they have highlighted that the origin of conflicts like the Syrian war dates back to the creation of states behind desks, without regards to the particularities and the different villages that occupy a territory. For that reason, Rami Tattan, who is Kurd, states that in Syria they don't have official recognition or legal documentation, and that they are a region within their own borders.

Context and Background

The International Cooperation Service of the Barcelona Metropolitan Area (AMB) supports refugee projects in several regions of the Mediterranean, one of them in the island of Lesbos (Greece), where many refugees have arrived. Lesbos takes over a double challenge: sheltering thousands of people arriving by sea and the environmental impact that it entails. Along the beaches, around 450,000 stacked life vests have been used to save many people's lives but, at the same time, it presents a crucial environmental challenge.

People arriving in Lesbos come mainly from Syria, due to the war that started 8 years ago. Since 2015, over 90,000 people have landed in this Greek island, which is located about 9 km from Turk territory, becoming one of the main regions for the reception of refugees in Europe.

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