World freediving champion Alessia Zecchini dives with Palestinian flag

• She carried 117 handwritten dreams from children in Gaza attached to her wetsuit.
• The notes were written by Palestinian children evacuated to Bologna, who traveled to Milazzo for the event.

Freediving world champion Alessia Zecchini dove Friday into the Mediterranean off Milazzo, Sicily, with 117 dreams written by children from Gaza attached to her wetsuit, along with the Palestinian flag. The dive was part of a campaign advocating for children’s right to play.

The dreams were written by Palestinian children who had been evacuated to Bologna. The children and members of their support community traveled to Milazzo to take part, handing over their written hopes before Zecchini’s dive.

Environmentalist, activist and diver Sebastian Colnaghi joined Zecchini for the event, along with members of the local Milazzo community.

Zecchini attached the 117 handwritten notes to her suit before descending into the water. She also carried the Palestinian flag underwater during the dive.

The dive was organized as a public awareness effort rather than a competitive attempt, using her profile as a world champion to draw attention to the situation facing displaced children.