Schools on Elba are Blue!
All Schools on the Island of Elba have joined the European Blue Schools Network promoted by the European Commission and UNESCO-IOC.
The Island of Elba has officially become the first territorial unit in Europe where all educational institutions are certified as “Blue Schools.” This initiative, backed by the European Commission and promoted by UNESCO-IOC, aims to engage schools, teachers, and students in Ocean Literacy programs. The announcement was made during SEIF, the Sea Essence International Festival, the first international festival dedicated to the protection and promotion of the sea and its essence. The Island of Elba and its institutions are also part of the UNESCO MaB Biosphere Reserve: “Islands of Tuscany.”
Bringing the ocean into the classroom to raise a new generation aware with an awareness of the challenges in keeping it healthy and promoting responsible use of marine resources: this is the goal for all schools on the Island of Elba – from elementary to high schools – as they join the European Blue Schools network initiated by the European Commission. The initiative is promoted by the UNESCO Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (UNESCO-IOC) as part of the UN’s Ocean Decade for Sustainable Development (2021-2030) and the Ocean Literacy program, to integrate ocean themes into school curricula worldwide, from kindergarten to high school, from coastal to inland areas.
The Island of Elba is now officially the first territorial unit where all schools are “Blue.” The announcement was made during SEIF – Sea Essence International Festival, an international festival dedicated to the protection and promotion of the sea and its essence, held on the Island of Elba from June 28 to 30, organized by the Acqua dell’Elba Foundation.
The schools certified as “Blue Schools” include the Sandro Pertini Comprehensive State Institute (Portoferraio), the G. Carducci Comprehensive State Institute (Porto Azzurro, Capoliveri, Rio), ISIS Raffaele Foresi (Portoferraio), ITCG Cerboni (Portoferraio), and the G. Giusti Comprehensive State Institute (Campo nell’Elba, Marciana, and Marciana Marina).
The process that allowed the schools of Elba to join the European Blue Schools network was made possible by the coordination work of the Acqua dell’Elba Foundation, which proposed joining the network and followed the project from start to finish, and the scientific support of the National Park of the Tuscan Archipelago, which, as the managing body of the UNESCO MaB Biosphere Reserve “Islands of Tuscany” where the schools are located, provided specific knowledge contributions through the intervention of Park Guides. This effort is part of the broader educational and outreach activities conducted annually by the organization on sustainability, in line with the goals of the 2030 Agenda. UNESCO-IOC also provided technical support and organized training webinars for teachers, sharing the document “A New Blue Curriculum: Toolkit for Policymakers” containing tools, research, case studies, and methodologies to integrate Ocean Literacy into school curricula.
“The Island of Elba, as the first territorial unit where all schools become part of the European Blue Schools network, becomes a model for other places around the continent,” says Francesca Santoro, Senior Programme Officer at UNESCO-IOC. “This is also an important milestone for UNESCO, given our commitment to creating a global network of schools where ocean education is a fundamental part of the curriculum. The Island of Elba is sending out a message of concrete commitment to the protection of our ocean.”
“At the European Blue Schools Network, we believe that every student has the right to an education that fosters an understanding of the complex biosphere in which they live,” stated Dominika Wojcieszek, Blue Schools Officer for the European Blue Schools network of the EU. “The ocean touches all aspects of society, so it is time for us to take collective responsibility, as citizens of the Earth, and lead our lives with an awareness of the importance of the ocean.”
“Environmental education is essential to provide young people with the skills and mindset necessary to preserve marine and inland water environments. Offering future generations greater knowledge and encouraging them to engage more with ocean issues is a top priority for the EU, the European coalition for Ocean Literacy (EU4Ocean), and the Network of European Blue Schools. Welcome aboard all the schools of the Island of Elba!” added Sandra Castañer, Policy Officer, Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DG MARE) for the European Commission.
“Helping the schools on the Island of Elba embark on this journey has been a great honor. This is an important step in the promotion of marine themes that we carry out daily with the Acqua dell’Elba Foundation,” explained Fabio Murzi, the Foundation’s President. “Elba is a place that lives in symbiosis with the sea, and now, thanks to the Blue Schools, we can generate even more awareness among young people, making them key players in the change for a more sustainable ocean.”
Giampiero Sammuri, President of the National Park of the Tuscan Archipelago, declared: “We are particularly pleased with the recognition obtained by the schools of Elba, thanks to the excellent work carried out by the Acqua dell’Elba Foundation. For the MaB Biosphere Reserve ‘Islands of Tuscany,’ managed by the National Park, it is an extraordinary result to have been able to support the candidacy and present Elba as the first island in the world with all its schools certified as ‘Blue Schools.’ Special thanks go especially to the teachers and students who believed from the start in this virtuous, highly rewarding, and meaningful journey for an island that is also part of the International Sanctuary for the Protection of Marine Mammals Pelagos.”
Blue Schools on the Island of Elba
In the process of joining the Blue Schools network, the schools on the Island of Elba have implemented a series of Ocean Literacy projects.
The Casa del Duca Primary School and the Sandro Pertini Comprehensive Institute of Portoferraio created the “A…MARE” project, where students were guided to discover the wonders of the local area and then set up an exhibition of images, videos, drawings, and manual works.
The Carducci Comprehensive Institute of Porto Azzurro presented the projects “From the Depths of Elba Island” and “Pictures of Biodiversity: Photography and Marine Biology.” Together with a team of marine biologists, students used innovative tools to study and get to know marine biodiversity closely, ultimately creating photographic exhibitions dedicated to marine animal and plant organisms found in the island’s seabed.
ISIS FORESI of Portoferraio conducted “Marine Science,” part of a biennial natural sciences teaching program characterizing the science high school and aiming to introduce CLIL methodology in the study of marine sciences (in English). The National Park of the Tuscan Archipelago, the reference body of the UNESCO MAB Biosphere Reserve, provided resources, tools, and professionals such as park guides experienced in marine biology. The project addressed the need to start the study of technical-scientific English from high school years and to characterize the curriculum of Elban students with marine environment topics, orienting them towards potential studies or careers related to marine biosphere protection and sustainable human activities (fishing, tourism, renewable energy resources). At the end of the project, a scientific study was planned, consisting of the chemical and biological analysis of marine and freshwater samples and the characterization of related biocenoses, as well as a scientific article written by the students.
ITCG G. CERBONI of Portoferraio focused on “Blue-Cerboni,” dedicated to the role of Posidonia oceanica and the possibility of using it as organic compost in viticulture. In addition to conducting physical field experiments, classes interviewed renowned winemakers who had used this technique in the past, ultimately producing a video showing the various project phases, results, and winemakers’ testimonies.
The G. Giusti Comprehensive State Institute of Campo nell’Elba conducted “The Breath of the Sea,” a multidisciplinary project where children followed the water path from the mountains to the sea through the study of stones along the coast. The young students were involved in the recovery and cataloging of objects and, with the presence of artist Alfredo Gioventù, created artistic works on the beach.
