Strengthening Blue Citizenship in Europe: Regions and Cities Get Mobilised

Join us as we bring the ocean into every classroom and inspire the next generation of Blue Citizens! Together, let’s empower communities to co-design projects that integrate rivers and seas into urban landscapes, addressing key societal challenges. Boost ocean literacy among your elected representatives and create bold action plans for the sustainable use of ocean resources in your region. Why not also engage the youth with a dedicated assembly to shape priorities for protecting our rivers and oceans?

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About

Water, Rivers, Seas and the Ocean...  

• Need protection and sustainable use to continue delivering vital services to society
• Attract people’s attention, evoking dreams, emotions, and passion
• Offer the perfect spark forcitizen engagement in our democratic process

Regions, Cities & Local Authorities need to bring water, rivers, seas, and the ocean into their strategies and priorities to act as central players in achieving healthy, resilient, and productive fresh and marine water environments.

Join us for an engaging round-table discussion followed by a social drink as we dive into the Blue Citizenship movement and help make Europe truly Blue! Hear from inspiring panellists representing regions, municipalities, and civil society organisations.

Share your own insights and experiences on strengthening Blue Citizenship & explore how regions, cities, and local authorities can become key drivers in this movement.

Organised by the EU4Ocean Coalition and partners, the round-table brings together

• Citizens' actions for ocean protection and their democratic responsibilities
• The 2024 EU4Ocean Challenge: Be a Blue Citizen – Ocean, Democracy, and Citizenship and the key theme Strengthening European democracy of the 2024 European Week of Regions and Cities

Panellists

Facilitated by Pierre Strosser, EU4Ocean/ACTeon (France), the roundtable will benefit from the experiences and visions of five panellists:

• Klaas de Boer from the representation of the City of Hamburg (Germany) in Brussels who will share initiatives supported by the city of Hamburg to bring freshwater and marine waters closer to the attention and actions of citizens; 
• Nicola Bridge, Head of Ocean Advocacy and Engagement for the Ocean Conservation Trust (United Kingdom)presenting the Motion for the Ocean - the Local Government Ocean Recovery Declaration, a model motion that local authorities sign pledging for a proactive role in supporting the delivery of a clean, healthy, resilient and productive ocean; 
• Justine Brossard, secretariat of the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CPMR), sharing experiences from the region in mobilizing citizens around ocean and coastal challenges;
• Fotigui Camara, Deputy-Major of Den Helder (NL), one of the Blue European Maritime Day cities, committed to strengthening Blue Education in all schools of its territory;
• Mariana Cardoso, municipality of Lousada (Portugal) and Associação BioLiving, sharing a dual experience as the staff of the Lousada municipality that uses the river as a hook for Intergenerational connections delivering social and emotional skills, and member of an NGO illustrating how municipalities can support and facilitate civic empowerment that contributes to blue citizenship.  

Register now and stay tuned for the full agenda and speaker line-up!