- Created on
- 20 May 2025
- Theme
- EU4Ocean Platform
- EU4Ocean Coalition
Partners4Ocean's Thematic Networking Groups bring together organisations from across science, education, policy, business and civil society to connect, exchange knowledge and build partnerships around the ocean topics that matter most.
Introduction
What began as an ambitious idea within the EU4Ocean coalition has grown into a vibrant conversation about the power of stories to inspire ocean action. In June 2025, the former EU4Ocean Literature Group launched with a simple but compelling vision: to bring the ocean into libraries, book fairs and reading communities across Europe. Led by Andrea Bozman, winner of the MakeEUBlue Awards 2024 for her storytelling-based educational initiative Small Scientist, the group brought together in the past, authors, educators, publishers, artists, librarians and researchers who shared a common belief, that literature can make the ocean accessible to everyone, including landlocked regions.
As discussions unfolded, it became clear that "literature" meant much to the ocean community. Members explored everything from children's stories and graphic novels to games, oral storytelling, ecopoetry, theatre, digital experiences and participatory forms of creative expression. The group exchanged ideas on collaborating with libraries and museums, supporting authors and illustrators, identifying funding opportunities, and developing practical resources to help ocean stories reach wider audiences.
These conversations naturally evolved into Ocean through Books, a Thematic Networking Group of Partners4Ocean Community, and a Webinar dedicated to exploring how storytelling, books and libraries can become powerful tools for ocean literacy and public engagement.
In the Webinar for Partners4Ocean members, Anna from Sea Library and Fons from VLIZ will share how stories create meaningful connections between people and the ocean. Together, they explore how reading clubs, libraries, authors and cultural institutions can become spaces where marine science meets imagination, making complex ocean issues engaging, relatable and accessible for audiences of all ages.
23 July 2026 | 13-14:00 CET | Audience: Partners4Ocean members only
The webinar builds on the growing Ocean through Books initiative, which connects readers, writers, scientists and ocean advocates through literature. By demonstrating how storytelling can inspire curiosity, empathy and civic engagement, it shows that books are not simply a way of communicating science—they are a way of building lasting relationships between people and the sea.
About
The EU4Ocean Thematic Networking Groups (TNGs) are open to Partners4Ocean members. By joining the community, you can participate in the groups that match your interests, collaborate with peers across Europe, contribute to shared resources and help shape future EU4Ocean activities and events.
Not yet a Partners4Ocean member? Join the community and become part of a growing network working to strengthen ocean literacy through collaboration, creativity and shared action.
International Literacy Day
To celebrate International Literacy Day, members of the EU4Ocean Literature Group highlighted how books/games/literature can contribute to ocean literacy. Have a look at the resulting slideshow!
