Born in the coastal city of Reggio Calabria, Italy, Regina Catrambone’s journey began in the heart of a Catholic community where the values of solidarity, acceptance, and openness shaped her worldview from an early age. These values became her foundation, guiding her through life with the firm belief that social change is not a passive endeavor but a responsibility that belongs to every individual. From a young age, Regina was driven by the notion that action was necessary, and that it was up to each person to not only advocate for change but to take part in it.
Her travels around the world, particularly to disadvantaged and remote areas, exposed Regina to a diverse array of conditions, cultures, faiths, and traditions. She saw both the incredible resilience of people facing adversity and the vulnerability of those caught in the midst of conflict and poverty. It was this exposure that deepened her commitment to addressing social injustices.
In 2013, Regina and Christopher Catrambone co-founded MOAS, an international humanitarian organization based in Malta, Germany, the UK, and Italy, launching a 40-meter, drone-equipped ship called Phoenix to assist migrants attempting to cross the Mediterranean. Under their leadership, MOAS saved countless lives at sea, established medical stations in crisis areas, provided Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) training in refugee camps, and delivered nutritional aid and medical assistance to some of the world’s most impoverished regions.
Since 2024, MOAS has been rebranded as the MAEC Mediterranean Aid Education Center, continuing its mission with renewed focus on humanitarian aid, education, and crisis response. Under Regina’s leadership, MAEC has become a beacon for those in need, offering timely and targeted assistance during times of crisis, particularly in conflict zones. MAEC provides food aid, medical care, education, and training to improve living conditions among the most vulnerable communities. Additionally, the organization is dedicated to educating younger generations on the importance of human rights and social justice, with a particular focus on supporting minority and discriminated communities.
In countries of origin along migration routes, MAEC combats disinformation that leads to loss of life by providing accurate information about the hidden challenges and dangers migrants face. MAEC’s mission promotes the implementation of Safe and Legal Routes to ensure that those in need of international protection are not forced to risk their lives seeking better conditions. Through the #SafeAndLegalRoutes campaign, MAEC advocates for safe and legal migration alternatives and the development of reception and integration systems in European destination countries.
MAEC’s efforts go beyond immediate aid and awareness, with a commitment to Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR), developing customized solutions to deal with emergencies, which are becoming increasingly frequent due to climate change in refugee camps and the most affected areas of the world.
Regina’s commitment to humanitarianism is further reflected in the organization’s Art Bridge for Solidarity project, which connects the power of art with the cause of human solidarity. This fundraising initiative uses art to raise awareness about issues such as migration, peace, dialogue, resilience, migration and the critical need for safe and legal routes for those seeking refuge. The diversity of backgrounds and perspectives represented here offers a rich, layered narrative of our shared struggles and aspirations. This project offers the public an opportunity to experience works by celebrated artists and emerging voices, united in a message of peace and solidarity. Each piece contributes to a vision of a fairer world, raising awareness of urgent social, environmental, and humanitarian challenges. Each donation directly supports MAEC’s humanitarian projects.
Regina has shared her experiences and reflections through her blog and in her book, Raccogliere il Mare con un Cucchiain (“Scooping the Sea with a Teaspoon”). This collection of stories and personal reflections gathered during search-and-rescue missions in the Mediterranean Sea and published in Italian provides an intimate look at the human side of the migration crisis. Regina’s work has been widely recognized and documented in numerous international and Italian publications, including Knack, DPA Magazine, Der Spiegel, Wired, The Independent, Azure, CNN, BBC, Famiglia Cristiana, La Repubblica, Corriere della Sera, Avvenire, Vita, Huffington Post Italia, The Guardian and Times of Malta.
Her efforts have not gone unnoticed by the global community. Regina has received numerous prestigious awards for her unwavering dedication to humanitarian work, including the Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana (2015), Premio Mamma Lucia ‘Donne Coraggio’ (2015); San Giorgio d’oro (2016), Trofeo del Mare (2017), Tessera Preziosa Mosaico di Palermo (2018). With MOAS they received Hero Award 2017 (International Maritime Rescue Federation, Category Team for Outstanding Team Contribution to a Maritime SAR Operation); Atlantic Council Freedom Award (2017); New European of the Year 2016; Special 112 Award by the European Emergency Number Association (EENA) 2016; Geuzen Medal 2016 – Geuzenpenning Foundation; Peter Serracino Inglott Award for Civic Engagement 2015; Medal of the Republic (Malta) 2015. Alongside Christopher Catrambone, she was named among the 100 Global Thinkers of 2015 by Foreign Policy, and together they received the Global Citizen Forum Award 2015.
