ONE SEA | ONE STANDARD
Search & Rescue Summit 2025
06-09 November 2025 | UWC Atlantic | South Wales
The truth is stark.
We do not know how many have died trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea. The numbers are approximate, the figures vague, and the disparity runs into the thousands. In the developed world, every accidental death is counted, investigated, reported on, and learned from. Responsibility is taken. Accountability is demanded. Systems are improved so that it does not happen again.
In the Mediterranean, by contrast, people disappear between the cracks of statistics. Numbers are rounded off, lives reduced to estimates. And yet, we know that the surveillance capacity exists. From a multimillion-euro operations centre in Warsaw, Frontex watches the Mediterranean in real time, with satellites covering every mile of sea. They see, and they know. But too often, they do not act.
Into this vacuum stepped ordinary people. Not governments, not the institutions built for rescue, but volunteers, activists, humanitarians, individuals who could no longer bear to watch blurry reports slip through the news cycle while sinister narratives took hold. With little experience but fierce determination, they built fleets from adapted ships and outdated equipment. They invented processes and techniques, endured restrictions and arrests, begged for funding, and persisted despite being criminalised and vilified. For over a decade, NGOs have been the only line of defence against mass death at sea. Despite everything, they have saved tens of thousands of lives. Not numbers, but lives with futures. They proved what solidarity, courage, and humanity can achieve, even under siege.
But now the time has come to prepare for the next chapter. The numbers will not decline, they will grow. The obstacles will not soften, they will harden. The resources of those who oppose rescue are vast, and their tactics ever more obstructive. New laws are written to prevent humanitarian action, even as bullets fly toward those who dare to save lives. And so, we must come together. Atlantic Pacific presents SAR Summit 2025, a three-day gathering to ask the hard questions about what happens next. Together, we will explore how to safeguard ourselves while safeguarding others. We will share experience, study solutions, and begin shaping the standards that will prepare us for the future.
The forces against us have power and money.
But we have something stronger: humanity and solidarity.
And with these, we will endure.
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Search & Rescue Summit
Thursday 6th - Sunday 9th November 2025 | UWC Atlantic | South Wales, UK
At SAR Summit 2025, our shared intention is to work in true solidarity to begin the development of clear, practical Search and Rescue standards for the Mediterranean.
By drawing on the experiences, skills, and insights of those on the frontline, we aim to build a common framework that strengthens safety, improves coordination, and ensures consistency across all operations.
This process is not about uniformity for its own sake, but about creating a sustainable and robust foundation that allows humanitarian rescue to endure in the face of mounting challenges.
Together, we can set the standards that safeguard both rescuers and those they save, ensuring that this work is not only possible, but effective and resilient for the future.
Over three days, SAR Summit 2025 will bring together frontline NGOs, experts, and partners to share knowledge, build connections, and shape the future of humanitarian rescue in the Mediterranean.
Day one opens with introductions and an evening welcome, setting the stage for collaboration.
Day two focuses on practice, with discussions on safety standards, training fundamentals, and live demonstrations that test and refine operational techniques.
Day three turns towards strategy and solidarity, with roundtables, public engagement, and the joint development of shared recommendations that will strengthen and sustain SAR efforts for the years ahead.
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Call for Papers / Workshop / Training Sessions
Call for papers / workshops / training on Safety Standards in Search and Rescue (SAR) in the Mediterranean
DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS: 8th October 2025.
Thursday 6th - Sunday 9th November 2025 | UWC Atlantic | South Wales, UK
The Mediterranean civil rescue fleet has saved tens of thousands of lives since 2015, yet crews continue to face immense challenges: differing operational systems, lack of standardised training, and reliance on volunteers with varying experience.
To strengthen safety and effectiveness across the sector, Atlantic Pacific (AP) is hosting the first-ever gathering of NGOs, training experts, and commercial shipping representatives to discuss safety standards in SAR in the Mediterranean.
We invite papers / workshops / training proposals from NGOs, maritime professionals, trainers, and researchers on topics that address pressing safety and operational issues in SAR.
Suggested Themes:
Papers may address, but are not limited to:
- Training standards and qualification frameworks for SAR volunteers
- Operational challenges and lessons learned from SAR in the Mediterranean
- Safety procedures, SOPs/LOPs, and best practice sharing
- Use of technology and equipment in SAR operations
- Collaboration between NGOs and the commercial maritime sector
- Wellbeing, resilience, and safety of SAR crews
- Policy, regulation, and advocacy around maritime rescue
For more information please follow the link below.
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Public Lecture: Join Us
“Safety and Solidarity: A Frontline Account of What’s Happening in the Mediterranean”
Saturday 8th November 2025 | 18:30 - 20:00 | UWC Atlantic | South Wales, UK.
Featuring frontline NGOs working in the Mediterranean, followed by a panel discussion.
£15 ticket charge which includes refreshments after the event.