Between Two Waters: Peru – Italy Interlearning

Between September and October 2024, the interlearning experience “Between Two Waters: Peru – Italy” took place, an initiative promoted by Juntanza within the framework of the Biocultural Diversity and Territories Platform, with the collaboration of a broad institutional network. This network brought together artisanal fishers’ associations, cultural patronages, citizen movements, social enterprises, public entities, and foundations, all working together to foster a transformative exchange around territorial and marine–coastal ecosystems.

The Peruvian delegation was composed of artisanal fishers Julio López (Chucuito) and Josué Abad (La Punta), along with Gabriela Wuest, leader of the social bakery Kala Tanta. Their participation in the international event Terra Madre – Pavilion of the Puglia Region, organized by Slow Food in Turin, Italy, marked a milestone in strengthening historical, cultural, and productive ties between Callao and southern Italy—united by the sea… and by bread.

Since ancient times, fishing and breadmaking have been closely linked. In Callao, this connection bears a particularly Italian imprint: around 1887, Italian immigrant Piero Massi founded Peru’s first bakers’ guild. At the same time, many of the artisanal fishing techniques still practiced in Callao were learned from Italian fishermen. This shared legacy resonates today in cultural expressions such as fish curing and its transformation into the celebrated ceviche, recently declared Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.

During the gathering in Italy, the Peruvian delegation took part in activities of great symbolic and practical value. At a fraternity dinner, Peruvian ceviche was the star dish, prepared together with Andrés Ugaz, president of the Patronato por la Cocina del Callao. They also presented a project developed by Fundación Capital and other organizations with the support of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB – Peru), which seeks to highlight the cultural value of fishing, while strengthening competitiveness and governance in the artisanal sector along Callao’s coastline.

Before their trip, the fishers participated in training sessions led by Erika Stigler (DDC Callao), where they deepened their knowledge on heritage, history, and Callao’s identity, as well as on content creation for dissemination. From the bakery perspective, Gabriela Wuest shared the model of Kala Tanta, a social enterprise that engages women and youth in vulnerable situations, and that has even brought its experience into Peru’s largest prison, in partnership with the National Penitentiary Institute (INPE).

Thanks to institutional support, the delegation also visited the Puglia region, where they explored models of artisanal fishing, mariculture, pesca-tourism, and social bakeries with a territorial focus. This journey allowed them to reconnect with sustainable practices, innovation strategies, and circular economy initiatives deeply rooted in the local environment.

Beyond the Journey: Articulation and Future

Upon their return, the lessons learned were not left behind in Italy. Feedback sessions were organized with Callao fishers’ associations, the Patronato, and other key allies, with the goal of turning the lived experience into concrete actions. As a result:

A roadmap was co-designed for the integral development of Callao’s artisanal fishing sector, with a territorial approach and community participation.
Alliances were forged with public, private, and international cooperation entities to advance a program aimed at improving quality of life, governance, and the strengthening of artisanal fishing and its ecosystems.
New opportunities opened up for South–South exchange and the creation of global interlearning networks.

“Between Two Waters” has been much more than a trip: it has been an opportunity to revitalize ancestral trades, recover historical ties, and sow new forms of territorial cooperation that dignify, protect, and transform the lives of coastal communities such as those of Peru’s main port, Callao.