In 2025, twelve years after the shipwreck of October 3rd, 2013, the Day of Remembrance and Welcome will focus on the theme of legacy—a legacy that is not only symbolic but also expressed as a right: the right to identity, to memory, and to justice. The Mediterranean—today an invisible graveyard—asks us not to forget. To acknowledge, to name, to remember.
That is why we are launching the initiative “One Place, One Memory”, a call to all lower and upper secondary schools in Italy and across Europe, to help build a shared and visible map of remembrance.
Together, we want to create a digital map of remembrance and welcome, which will be presented in Lampedusa during the October 3rd commemorations in 2025. A simple yet powerful collective action to make this shared memory visible in everyday spaces, and to link local places to October 3rd and to Lampedusa—creating a symbolic and collective bridge across Europe.
What do we ask?
A photo of the banner/sign placed in the chosen symbolic location, with students present (optional but encouraged);
The name of the school and the location chosen;
A short written statement (max 500 characters) or a short video (max 30 seconds) explaining why that place was chosen, what October 3rd means to you, and what “memory” and “welcome” represent for your group.
How to participate
Create your banner or symbolic action and take a photo at your chosen place;
Fill out the online form and upload all materials by September 20, 2025: 👉 [LINK TO THE FORM]
An open educational opportunity
“One Place, One Memory” is not only a symbolic gesture—it is also a concrete opportunity to explore in class the history of the October 3rd, 2013 shipwreck, the many other tragedies that occurred in the Mediterranean, and the complex realities of contemporary migration.
Below you’ll find a short info sheet with key facts on:
The October 3rd, 2013 shipwreck near Lampedusa;
The October 11th, 2013 shipwreck in the Maltese SAR zone;
The April 18th, 2015 shipwreck in the Sicilian Channel.
We encourage teachers to build a brief educational journey around this initiative—through historical, civic, and ethical reflection—so that the action and the photo fully express their significance.
What happens next…
All submitted materials (photos, school name and chosen place, optional video or text) will become part of a digital European map of remembrance and welcome. During the events of the 12th Day of Remembrance and Welcome, in Lampedusa from September 30 to October 3, 2025, there will be a shared moment where this interactive map of places and voices will be presented—showing how memory, spread across Europe, can come together in a powerful tribute to those lost.
Shipwreck Info Sheets
Shipwreck of October 3rd, 2013 – Lampedusa
Date: October 3rd, 2013
Location: About 800 meters off the coast of Lampedusa, near Rabbit Island
People on board: Approx. 545, mainly Eritrean and Somali
Victims: 368 confirmed
Survivors: 155
Causes: Overcrowding; fire on board; delayed rescue
Consequences: National day of mourning in Italy; launch of Operation Mare Nostrum; creation of the Day of Remembrance and Welcome (Law 45/2016)
Legal outcomes: The boat’s captain, Khaled Ben-Salam, was sentenced to 18 years for multiple counts of manslaughter. Somali national Mouhamud Elmi Muhidin, one of the trip organizers, was sentenced to 30 years. Several crew members of the fishing boat Aristeus were convicted for failing to assist.
Shipwreck of October 11th, 2013 – South of Lampedusa (Maltese SAR zone)
Date: October 11th, 2013
Location: Approx. 60 km south of Lampedusa, in the Maltese SAR zone
People on board: Around 400, mostly Syrian and Palestinian
Victims: About 268, including over 60 children
Survivors: 212
Causes: Delayed response from Italian and Maltese authorities despite repeated distress calls
Consequences: Ongoing legal proceedings and investigations at the European Court of Human Rights; accusations of negligence by the involved states
Legal outcomes: The Rome Tribunal closed the case due to statute of limitations, but acknowledged the existence of criminal responsibility and highlighted serious failings by Italian authorities.
Shipwreck of April 18th, 2015 – Sicilian Channel
Date: April 18th, 2015
Location: Approx. 96 km off the Libyan coast
People on board: About 1,100
Victims: Over 1,000
Survivors: 28
Causes: Extreme overcrowding; instability during rescue attempts; poor weather conditions
Consequences: Deadliest Mediterranean shipwreck since WWII; led to an extraordinary EU summit; launch of EUNAVFOR MED – Operation Sophia
Legal outcomes: Tunisian Mohammed Ali Malek sentenced to 18 years; Syrian Mahmud Bikhit sentenced to 5 years for aiding illegal immigration
Notes: The wreck was recovered in 2016 and moved to Augusta (Sicily)
Important note on legal proceedings
The legal actions mentioned refer to individuals arrested after the shipwrecks. However, it is important to remember that the real traffickers often remain unidentified or unpunished. Those arrested and convicted are sometimes people forced to cooperate during the journey—either in exchange for a reduced fare or out of necessity. These convictions, while legally justified, do not always reflect the true hierarchy of responsibility in human trafficking networks. They must be understood within a broader context, taking into account migration dynamics and global inequalities.