The Case Study of a UNESCO-Endorsed Initiative within the International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development: the STOPTIGRE project on the Mediterranean island of Procida, toward a community-based and science-art transdisciplinary approach for the control of insect disease vectors

From Top Italian Scientists Journal
Published
January 3, 2026
Title
The Case Study of a UNESCO-Endorsed Initiative within the International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development: the STOPTIGRE project on the Mediterranean island of Procida, toward a community-based and science-art transdisciplinary approach for the control of insect disease vectors
Authors
Marco Salvemini, Francesco Iandolo, Veronica Nasti, Alfredo Antonio Capuano, and Maria Vittoria Cubellis
DOI
10.62684/CDPX8903
Keywords
Citizen science, community engagement, transdisciplinary science-art approach, mosquito monitoring, mosquito control
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Marco Salvemini (a), Francesco Iandolo (b), Veronica Nasti (b), Alfredo Antonio Capuano (b), Maria_Vittoria_Cubellis (a,c)

(a) Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy.

(b) School of New Technologies of Art, Academy of Fine Arts of Naples, Naples, Italy.

(c) Permanent Delegation of Italy to UNESCO, Paris, France.


Correspondence to: Maria Vittoria Cubellis, email: cubellis@unina.it

Abstract

The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed the years 2024–2033 as the International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development, designating UNESCO as the lead agency for its implementation. This global initiative underscores the pivotal role of science—basic, applied, social, and human—in advancing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development while ensuring that the benefits of scientific progress are equitably shared across societies. The Decade emphasizes the expansion of scientific literacy, the widespread adoption of open science practices, the strengthening of global research collaborations, and the transformation of national innovation systems. At the same time, it confronts crucial barriers, including the proliferation of misinformation, insufficient investment in basic sciences, and widening inequalities in access to scientific education and infrastructure. This paper discusses the vision, challenges, and expected outcomes of the Decade, while presenting an example of a UNESCO-endorsed initiative that successfully evolved from basic research to applied science and ultimately democratized access to scientific knowledge. STOPTIGRE is a pioneering project that combines eco-sustainable vector control methods, science-art transdisciplinary approaches, Citizen science and community engagement to contrast the spread of insect vectors, such as mosquitoes. Citizen science involves citizens in research activities promoting social inclusion, sustainable development, and active citizenship, but its application still faces significant challenges to ensure effective public engagement and fully value its contribution. The project specifically aimed at addressing this challenge by developing an innovative and transdisciplinary approach, based on integrated actions of participatory science and art, for citizen engagement in eco-friendly mosquito monitoring and control. The test in the field of this approach, on the Mediterranean island of Procida, Italy, produced a significant impact both in reducing the infestation of tiger mosquitoes and in enhancing community awareness and cohesion.

Declarations

Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to the Procida administration and community, to the Rector of the University of Naples Federico II prof. Matteo Lorito and to the “Procida Capitale Italiana della Cultura 2022” Management committee.

Conflict of Interest

The opinions expressed in this contribution are personal and do not in any way commit to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. The Authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

Funding

This study was partially supported by Ministero dell’Università e della Ricerca (Italy), Piano Nazionale di Ripresa e Resilienza, and EU within the Extended Partnership Initiative on Emerging Infectious Diseases project number PE00000007 (One Health Basic and Translational Actions Addressing Unmet Needs on Emerging Infectious Diseases).

Author Contributions

MS: Conceptualization, Investigation, Writing, Review & Editing. FI: Conceptualization, Investigation, Review & Editing. VN: Conceptualization, Investigation, Review & Editing. AAC: Conceptualization, Investigation, Review & Editing. MVC: Writing – Review & Editing.

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