The EU4Ocean Platform: a growing Ocean Literacy community
Ocean observation, scientific research, marine conservation, education, blue economy sectors, policy, sports, arts, media … The range of activities and expertise of Platform members has significantly increased over the past three years as the EU4Ocean Platform has developed into a network that now bring together 160 members and continues to grow. The Platform gathers stakeholders from many sectors, including academia, industry, civil society, and government. This diversity of expertise and experience is key to enhance Ocean Literacy given the necessary multidisciplinary approaches required to better understand how the ocean influences us, how we influence the ocean and how we can work together towards a common goal of protecting and sustainably managing the ocean.
The EU4Ocean Platform provides an excellent opportunity for sharing experience, mutual learning, building relationships and collaborating on ocean-related issues, with the potential to create new partnerships. The objective is thus to strengthen cooperation between members within the EU4Ocean Platform as well as between members of the Platform and members of the two other communities of the EU4Ocean Coalition, the Youth4Ocean Forum and the Network of European Blue Schools. Discover who the members of the three communities are in the EU4Ocean map.
An online meeting to connect, network and cooperate
EU4Ocean Platform members met online on 9 November 2023 to discuss Ocean Literacy activities that have taken place in the past months, upcoming activities and future opportunities for collaboration.
Following a presentation from the EU4Ocean Platform facilitator on recent developments and future events and a welcome note from the European Commission's Directorate General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, participants in the meeting learned how they could connect, contribute to and benefit from three amazing initiatives developed by EU4Ocean Coalition members:
- The project Let’s Save the Baltic Sea, which is one of the winners of the EU4Ocean Challenge of the Year, was presented by Young Ocean Advocate Laura Stukonytė (Po Bangom (Under the waves));
- The project love your ocean was presented by Platform member Frank Schweikert (German Ocean Foundation);
- The project My Ocean Challenge was presented by Platform member Els Duffhues (Team Malizia).
The meeting was also the occasion for all participants to share information on multiple ongoing initiatives they are currently working on and to invite others to discover them and participate.
During the last session of the meeting, participants gathered in small discussion groups which focused on the interconnections between Ocean Literacy and the sustainable blue economy. This enabled all participants to learn more about each other's activities and to think about potential ideas for future initiatives to increase Ocean Literacy across Europe.
Thanks to the participation of the Youth4Ocean Forum facilitator and representatives from the Youth4Ocean Forum in the EU4Ocean Platform meeting, connections between the two communities were strengthened. In addition, Platform members were invited to join the pool of Mentors to support Young Ocean Advocates and to support the current campaign of the Network of European Blue schools.
Further to the participants' active engagement in the meeting, the EU4Ocean Coalition coordinator and the EU4Ocean Platform facilitator closed the meeting with an enthusiastic forward look to the coming months!
Do you wish to know more about the above projects and activities? Have a look at the presentations.
Are you not yet a member of the EU4Ocean Coalition but you would like to join the EU4Ocean Platform? Dive into the EU4Ocean Platform brochure to find answers to your questions.