Blue School Global Network

About the Blue School Global Network

Objectives and Vision

Objectives and Vision

Objectives and Vision

The Blue School Global Network (BSGN), coordinated by UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC), is a global initiative that seeks to advance Ocean Literacy across education systems worldwide and strengthen society’s relationship with the ocean. The network promotes an interdisciplinary and participatory approach to education, encouraging schools to connect ocean-related themes with science, culture, sustainability, citizenship, and local realities.


Its main objective is to empower students, teachers, and communities to become informed and active ocean stewards through hands-on learning, collaboration, and community engagement.

Students collecting litter during a beach clean-up

The Blue School programme is built around several key objectives:

The Blue School programme is built around several key objectives:

Flexible frameworks

Structured yet flexible frameworks that integrate Ocean Literacy across the whole school ecosystem — curricula, community engagement, sustainability practices and active citizenship.

Active citizenship

Support students and teachers to understand ocean sustainability challenges and take meaningful action in their communities.

Experiential learning

Encourage interdisciplinary and experiential learning that connects subjects, students and communities.

Partnerships

Build partnerships between schools, communities, researchers, NGOs, governance and the blue economy sector.

International collaboration

Facilitate international collaboration, knowledge exchange and resource sharing across diverse cultural and educational contexts.

Ocean responsibility

Promote ocean responsibility, participation and sustainability at every level of school life.

Our Vision

Our Vision

Our Vision

Driven by principles of equality, diversity, and cultural respect, the vision of the Blue School Global Network is to create a worldwide movement that transcends geographic, cultural, and social boundaries — ensuring that all young people have access to quality ocean education.


The initiative aims to foster a global culture of sustainability by combining scientific knowledge with Indigenous and local perspectives, cultural heritage, and real-world action. Through international cooperation, knowledge-sharing, and community-based projects, the BSGN seeks to inspire future generations to understand, value, and protect the ocean for the benefit of present and future societies.

Driven by principles of equality, diversity, and cultural respect, the vision of the Blue School Global Network is to create a worldwide movement that transcends geographic, cultural, and social boundaries — ensuring that all young people have access to quality ocean education.


The initiative aims to foster a global culture of sustainability by combining scientific knowledge with Indigenous and local perspectives, cultural heritage, and real-world action. Through international cooperation, knowledge-sharing, and community-based projects, the BSGN seeks to inspire future generations to understand, value, and protect the ocean for the benefit of present and future societies.

Origins and Expansion

Origins and Expansion

Origins and Expansion

Mid-2010s — The idea takes shape

The idea of Blue Schools begins to circulate through international discussions within the European Marine Science Educators Association (EMSEA) and the Sea Change project, recognising the need to bring Ocean Literacy more systematically into schools.

2017 — First national programme in Portugal

The structured Blue School concept — its educational model, criteria and implementation approach — is first developed in Portugal. The national programme launches with the support of the Ministry of the Sea, establishing a framework for Ocean Literacy in formal education.

UNESCO-IOC recognition

The Portuguese model gains international recognition, with UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) embracing the approach as a reference for Ocean Literacy in education.

European expansion

The model informs the creation of the Network of European Blue Schools, extending interdisciplinary, project-based and community-oriented learning across Europe.

Atlantic expansion

The All-Atlantic Blue Schools Network connects schools on both sides of the Atlantic, deepening cooperation between regions and cultures.

Today — A global network

The Blue School Global Network (BSGN), coordinated by UNESCO-IOC, supports Blue Schools across multiple regions of the world — locally adapted, yet connected by shared educational principles.

Lighthouse on the Portuguese Atlantic coast, where the first Blue School programme was launched

Our Team

Our Team

Our Team

The Global Governance Board sets the strategic direction of the network, safeguards its shared educational principles, and oversees international cooperation. Regional Coordination teams adapt the programme to local contexts, support schools in their region, and connect national activities with the global network.

Global Governance Board

Global Governance Board

Bernardo Reduto Leal

Governance Board

b.reduto-leal@unesco.org

Raquel Lorenz Costa

Governance Board

r.lorenz-costa@unesco.org

Regional Coordination

Regional Coordination

Stephanie Awo & Edwin Mwashinga

Regional Coordinators — Africa

Stephanie Awo stephawo@yahoo.com

Edwin Mwashinga e.mwashinga@unesco.org

Paola Diaz, Meghan Marrero & Camila Keiko Takahashi

Regional Coordinators — Americas

Paola Diaz (Caribbean) p.diaz@unesco.org

Meghan Marrero (North America)

mmarreo3@mercy.edu

Camila Keiko Takahashi (South America) maredeciencia@gmail.com

Shweta Khare Naik

Regional Coordinator — Indo-Pacific

tigershweta@gmail.com

Dominika Wojcieszek

Regional Coordinator — Network of European Blue Schools (NEBS)

dominika.wojcieszek@emseanet.eu

Afiq Mohd

Regional Coordinator — West Pacific

afiq.mohd@umt.edu.mt

Names, photos and contact details will be published as they are confirmed by the BSGN team.