ARPROE works to regenerate native flat oyster (Ostrea edulis) reefs as biodiversity hotspots and vital habitats for marine ecosystems. Through restoration, scientific research, training and participatory dives, the initiative engages local communities in the conservation of coastal ecosystems while supporting sustainable coastal activities and food security. By combining science, education and public participation, ARPROE aims to contribute to the long-term regeneration of flat oyster reefs and the wider health of the ocean.

Fossils of the Anthropocene is an international environmental art initiative that transforms marine plastic recovered through community-based beach cleanups in Costa Rica into large-scale sculptural “fossils”, created in collaboration with the 5 Minute Beach Cleanup Foundation, a pioneering global movement in ocean conservation. By presenting discarded plastic as future archaeological artifacts, the project exposes the paradox of materials that should never become part of Earth’s geological record yet are now embedded in it. Rooted in Costa Rica’s long-standing global leadership in sustainability, the initiative reflects the country’s commitment to innovation, environmental responsibility, and community-driven action—demonstrating how grassroots movements and creative vision can converge to inspire worldwide reflection on our lasting impact on the ocean.

Blue Crew is activating the next generation of ocean advocates, decision makers, innovators and marine scientists. Its mission is to connect people to the ocean and inspire positive action for local blue spaces. Blue Crew works with youth, schools, communities and corporate groups to address the disconnect between people and the value of our oceans.

The main purpose of our ProBleu project is to significantly advance the protection and conservation of freshwater ecosystems, with a particular emphasis on the Jiu River and its vital connection to the Danube River. This initiative seeks to establish four collaborative groups of secondary school students from various schools across Dolj and Gorj counties, utilizing the e-Twinning platform to focus on critical water ecosystems: In Dolj County: The lower course of the Jiu Valley, stretching from Craiova to the Danube, with a concentrated effort on the Podari area. In Gorj County: The Tismana River Valley and the Runcu – Sohodol Valley. By immersing SEN students in experiential learning and environmental education, we aim to foster a lasting impact on local water protection and biodiversity conservation. This will be accomplished through a series of meticulously structured activities that engage both students and teachers, tailored specifically to accommodate special educational needs. Additionally, the project endeavors to elevate civic awareness within local communities, emphasizing the importance of environmental stewardship and protection and becoming part of Network of European Blue School and ProBleu School network.

Driftline: Ocean+Art+Engagement is a global initiative co-created and managed through collaboration between Moku Art Studio (United States) and MANGO Residencia para Artistas (Argentina). Together, the two organizations are transforming the work of Ocean Virtual Art Residency alumni into an artist-led ocean literacy curriculum. Each lesson is co-developed with a residency artist, standards-aligned, and designed to work across grade levels with accessible materials. Available in English and Spanish, the lessons are formatted for the classroom but built to travel, just as at home in museums, nature clubs, homeschool groups, and other informal learning spaces.

Antarctic Rights advocates for an Antarctica Declaration recognizing the continent—its lands, ice, surrounding Southern Ocean waters, and unique species—as a rights-bearing community of life, grounded in Rights of Nature principles. Amid threats from climate change, overfishing, and pollution, we highlight how melting ice disrupts global ocean currents, raises sea levels, alters rainfall, and endangers biodiversity, underscoring the Southern Ocean's planetary role. We drive progress through global campaigns, IUCN motions, Indigenous partnerships, multilingual webinars, and events like our Cape Town gathering. This embodies ocean literacy by fostering stewardship that prioritizes Antarctica's best interests, aligning with the Venice Declaration to protect this vital ecosystem for all humankind.

Biomarina is an educational initiative dedicated to promoting ocean knowledge among students, educators, and society at large. Through courses, workshops, advisory services (academic and professional guidance), mentoring (personalized career development support), and scientific outreach activities, it advances ocean literacy and supports young people interested in pursuing careers in the marine sciences. Its mission contributes to strengthening the understanding of the ocean’s relevance to human life and fostering the commitment of new generations as agents of change for its conservation. Biomarina is a member of RELATO- Red de eduacion lationoamericana para el océano., which allows it to exchange experiences and resources with initiatives across the region.

The Young Citizens’ Council for the Ocean, an award-winning initiative led by Nina Dietz and Jan Feuring (two siblings from the Baltic Sea who have now also founded the non-profit organization Blue Citizen e.V), is a youth-driven project dedicated to advancing ocean literacy and fostering active youth participation in ocean governance. Recognized as a winner of the EU4Ocean Challenge 2024: Be a Blue Citizen, the initiative brings together young Europeans (ages 15–19) to explore the concept of Blue Citizenship—a vision of engaged and informed citizens shaping the future of our oceans. Structured around three thematic pillars—Knowledge, Culture, and Governance—the project provides an innovative educational framework that connects marine science with policy advocacy. Through a series of workshops, interdisciplinary collaborations, and policy discussions, participants develop critical thinking skills, engage with experts, and articulate recommendations for ocean governance.

Tide Keepers: Guardians of the Kelp Forest is a mixed-media art initiative by artist Dawn Leigh that brings the hidden world of California’s kelp forests into public view. Using hand-cut, repurposed materials layered with paint, each work transforms discarded fragments into vibrant marine life, mirroring the delicate balance between human impact and ocean resilience. Focused on kelp forests as critical ecosystems for biodiversity and carbon capture, the project invites viewers to see these underwater environments not as distant landscapes, but as living systems essential to our shared future. Through exhibitions, storytelling, and accessible educational content, Tide Keepers fosters emotional connection, curiosity, and informed stewardship. By bridging art and science, Guardians of the Kelp Forest promotes ocean literacy, empowering communities to understand, value, and advocate for the protection of our coastal ecosystems.

The Grand Blue Project is a forward-thinking marine education initiative dedicated to fostering deep ocean literacy across K-12 curriculum standards. By seamlessly integrating comprehensive marine science and ocean stewardship into schools—the project equips the next generation with a profound understanding of the ocean's influence on humanity and our impact on the ocean. Through collaborative, cross-border partnerships and meticulously structured learning pathways, the Grand Blue Project bridges generational gaps and transforms abstract environmental concepts into engaging, interactive, accessible learning database with thousands of ocean species and all the information needed about each one, all in one place. We engage students, educators, and community leaders with innovative resources and immersive experiential learning designed to cultivate knowledge and action. One of the ways that the platform can be used is for interdisciplinary project research. By elevating ocean literacy from a specialized scientific subject into a core foundational value, the Grand Blue Project empowers young global citizens to champion the long-term health, preservation, and harmony of our blue planet.

Ermitaño Books is an editorial and educational initiative that brings the ocean closer to people through books, educational resources, and learning experiences that connect science with imagination. Through content focused on marine biodiversity, iconic species, and coastal ecosystems, Ermitaño Books aims to inspire curiosity, empathy, and commitment to ocean conservation, especially among children and educational communities. Ermitaño Books materials transform scientific knowledge into accessible and engaging tools, promoting ocean literacy by helping people understand the importance of the ocean, the connections between humans and marine life, and the need to protect these ecosystems. Through science communication, environmental education, and appreciation of natural heritage, this editorial and educational initiative seeks to foster a society that is better informed, more connected, and actively engaged with the ocean.

The Ocean Club House project, initiated by Dive in Greenland (a volunteer-based NGO established in 2025), aims to create a permanent community space in the Qeqqata region dedicated to marine culture, science and education. The funding will be used to plan activities, purchase materials and build a physical Ocean Club House that will serve as a hub for activities all year round. This space will be open to all citizens with a special focus on youth engagement, education and community collaboration. In the project, we plan to build a community space in Sisimiut (Ocean Club House) dedicated to marine education, traditional marine knowledge, art and sustainable careers within the ocean. In addition, the project holds practical workshops on marine biology and sustainability for young people in collaboration with institutions such as universities, schools, sailing and qajaq clubs. For example, we successfully organized the Ocean Summer School in Sisimiut in 2025.

ODTIF is a collaborative forum in East Asia that brings together ocean scientists, maritime engineers, and marine-themed artists. The forum aims to scientifically import maritime data and comprehensively expand the discourse on ocean issues through multidisciplinary and multi-layered 'heterogeneous integration' (interdisciplinary synthesis). ODTIF ultimate goal is to broaden the scope of ocean-related solutions by bridging the gap between scientific evidence and artistic expression.

Sharks4Kids is an international nonprofit initiative dedicated to improving ocean literacy through shark-focused education, research, and outreach. Sharks4Kids connects students, educators, and communities to the ocean by using sharks as a powerful entry point to teach marine ecosystems, biodiversity, climate connections, and conservation science. Through classroom lessons, virtual programs, hands-on field experiences, and immersive tools such as VR, storytelling, and four published educational books, Sharks4Kids makes ocean science accessible, engaging, and relevant for learners of all ages and abilities. Their programs are grounded in current research and real-world conservation efforts, including long-term shark studies and community-based projects like Project Lemon Aid. By highlighting sharks' role in healthy oceans and equipping participants with knowledge and critical-thinking skills, they help build informed ocean stewards. Sharks4Kids aligns with the UN Ocean Literacy Principles by fostering understanding of the ocean’s influence on people and people’s influence on the ocean, while inspiring curiosity, respect, and action to protect our blue planet.

Tång Tång promotes healthier oceans and coastal environments by increasing ocean literacy through hands-on experiences with seaweed. The initiative organizes seaweed safaris combined with food experiences, making marine ecosystems accessible, engaging, and relevant to everyday life. Food is something everyone can relate to, and when participants discover seaweed as “the vegetable garden of the sea”, curiosity and connection naturally grow. Through guided exploration, participants learn to identify Swedish seaweed species, understand their ecological importance, and discover how seaweed can be harvested and cultivated sustainably. By linking ocean knowledge with taste, culture, and sustainability, Tång Tång inspires people to care more deeply about marine environments and the role they play in climate resilience, biodiversity, and future food systems. Their goal is to turn awareness into long-term engagement and encourage more people to become active stewards of the ocean.

IN TOO DEEP is an immersive game-installation by the Interactive Media Foundation that invites young adults to experience the deep ocean not as a distant environment, but as a living system they are already connected to. Through movement, interaction, sound and atmosphere, participants are encouraged to slow down, explore and develop a felt relationship with one of Earth's most important yet largely invisible ecosystems. Combining ocean science, artistic research and participatory design, the project aims to foster curiosity, wonder and care, creating a form of ocean literacy grounded in experience rather than explanation.

The Ocean Literacy Project is an education enterprise that connects ocean science with decision-making across communities, education systems, and organisations. Our mission is to make ocean literacy as widely understood and accessible as climate literacy, helping people recognise how the ocean sustains life on Earth and how human choices influence ocean health and planetary stability. Our work is delivered through three interconnected pathways: Ocean Literacy Certification, Executive Education, and Place-Based Learning. Together, these translate the UNESCO Ocean Literacy Principles into practical learning experiences that support knowledge into action across sectors and communities. Our programmes bring together science, wellbeing, and systems thinking to explore the connections between ocean health, climate stability, biodiversity, food systems, and human wellbeing. Working with educators, business leaders, policymakers, and coastal communities, we strengthen understanding of society’s relationship with the ocean and support more informed decision-making. By building ocean literacy across society, the project contributes to climate resilience and a more regenerative relationship between people and the ocean.

Fundación Naveducando delivers immersive, ship-based educational journeys for all 7th grade students across the four inhabited Galápagos Islands, fostering deep, lasting connections to the ocean. Their Ocean Classroom methodology blends ocean literacy principles with hands-on exploration of the Galápagos Marine Reserve, engaging students in both above- and below-water experiences. The program covers the ocean’s critical functions—such as oxygen production, climate regulation, and biodiversity—alongside major challenges like plastic pollution and overfishing. Naveducando’s work aligns with local governance processes and educational reforms, participating in multi-sectoral initiatives like Acuerdo Galápagos por la Educación. The foundation ensures inclusive access by working with all schools, including those for children with special needs, and by incorporating both formal and non-formal education methods. Bridging conservation, science, and sustainable tourism, Naveducando cultivates long-term behavior change and island-wide ocean stewardship, embedding the cultural and ecological value of the Galápagos marine environment into the next generation’s identity.