The water paradox: What Basilicata teaches the rest of Europe

When FILEF introduced the Blue School to a second-year class at the Arts High School in Matera, many students began with a familiar assumption: Basilicata does not have enough water.

But the reality is more complex.

Basilicata is rich in water resources. The challenge is not only scarcity, but access, infrastructure, waste, and sustainable management. This paradox became the starting point for the Italian Blue School: how can a region with significant water resources still face problems in delivering and managing them effectively?

The question matters far beyond Basilicata. If the problem is only a lack of rain, communities can do little but wait. But if the problem also involves leaking infrastructure, inefficient use, or governance, then there are concrete actions that can be taken by institutions, businesses, communities, and citizens.

Two groups, one shared question

Between February and April 2026, FILEF implemented the Italian Blue School through ten workshops in Matera.

The activities followed two parallel tracks. One involved students from the Arts High School, aged around 15 and 16. The other involved a group of young people with migration backgrounds, including unaccompanied minors and young adults supported by FILEF.

The materials were developed in both Italian and English, and the activities were adapted to the needs of each group. But the central question was the same for everyone:

What is happening to water in this region, and what should be done?

Working with two different groups added depth to the process. Local students and young newcomers brought different experiences, memories, and questions to the same topic. Their perspectives helped build a broader picture of how water is understood, used, and valued in Basilicata.

Learning from the past

One of the most powerful parts of the process was the connection between water and local history.

In Matera, water management is not a new issue. The ancient Sassi were shaped by communities that understood the need to collect, store, and protect every drop. Beneath the city lies the Palombaro Lungo, one of the largest underground cisterns in Europe, a striking example of how past societies developed sophisticated systems to manage water in difficult conditions.

For the young participants, this history became more than a cultural reference. It became evidence that another relationship with water is possible.

The workshops helped participants connect historical water practices with today’s challenges. They identified three main areas of concern: rainwater that is not sufficiently collected or reused, water lost through infrastructure problems, and everyday consumption habits.

In this way, the Blue School moved from heritage to action. The past was not treated as something distant, but as a practical source of learning for the present.

Roadmaps that can be seen

The Italian Water Roadmap did not take the form of a traditional report.

The young participants created paintings, zines, and visual materials that communicated practical messages about water waste, daily habits, and sustainable use. These works were brought together in a joint exhibition, where experts, teachers, educators, and sustainability professionals were invited to see the results and provide feedback.

This is an important part of the BLUEFRONT approach. A Water Roadmap does not need to be a long technical document to be meaningful. It can also be visual, creative, and accessible, as long as it clearly communicates the problem, the proposed solutions, and the message young people want to share with their community.

For an Arts High School in Matera, this format made sense. It allowed students to use their creative skills as tools for environmental advocacy. Instead of simply learning about sustainable water management, they translated their ideas into images that others could understand, discuss, and remember.

Creative advocacy in practice

The exhibition showed what BLUEFRONT means by creative advocacy.

Art was not used as decoration. It was used as a way to make an argument.

A painting or zine can sometimes reach people more quickly than a policy document. It can make an issue visible, emotional, and easier to discuss. It can also make young people’s voices harder to ignore.

By presenting their work publicly, the participants were not only completing a school activity. They were inviting their community to respond.

Lessons from Basilicata

The Italian Blue School offers three important lessons for anyone working on water sustainability in Europe.

First, abundance is not the same as access. A region may have water resources and still struggle with distribution, infrastructure, waste, or management.

Second, historical infrastructure can be a powerful teaching tool. Places like the Palombaro Lungo show young people that sustainable water practices are not only future goals; they are also part of local memory and heritage.

Third, diverse groups produce stronger insights. Local students and young people with migration backgrounds may notice different things about the same place. Bringing these perspectives together can make community-based research richer and more inclusive.

From local paradox to European learning

The Basilicata Blue School began with a contradiction: a water-rich region facing water challenges.

By the end of the process, that contradiction had become a learning opportunity. Young people explored the issue through history, research, discussion, creativity, and public presentation. They showed that water sustainability is not only about natural resources, but also about how societies choose to manage, protect, and share them.

That is why Basilicata’s experience matters beyond the region itself.

Across Europe, water challenges are becoming more complex. Some places face drought. Others face pollution, ageing infrastructure, overuse, or unequal access. The lesson from Matera is clear: to understand water, we need to look not only at what nature provides, but at what communities, institutions, and citizens do with it.