Venice Declaration for Ocean Literacy in Action, what is in the document signed by UNESCO-COI to educate about the ocean

The text was finalized in the Ocean Literacy World Conference organized by the Prada Group in collaboration with the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (COI) of UNESCO

Upon hearing the news of the signing, thunderous applause filled the Sala delle Colonne of Ca' Giustinian, a historic palace overlooking the Grand Canal.The ten points of the Venice Declaration for Ocean Literacy in Action were read by some of the international experts and delegates who worked on the document during the two-day event of the Ocean Literacy World Conference, organized by the Prada Group in collaboration with the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (COI) of UNESCO as part of the SEA BEYOND project, an initiative created in 2019 to promote ocean education in new generations.

«A wave of actions for ocean education»

The collective document contains ten points of recommendations to rebalance the relationship between the ocean and human beings, with interventions in the social, scholastic, political, administrative and economic fields.In the final phase of the work, experts from all over the world gathered to analyze every detail of the declaration and its possible implications, point by point.Each contribution added nuances of meaning to ensure that the text took into account a wide range of possibilities and challenges to be faced now and in the future.

The next steps

Ocean education has long been one of the objectives of the United Nations.To date, what has been missing is a broad, precise and detailed definition, which is provided by the Venice Declaration.The concept goes beyond school education, although this too is present, indicating a culture and awareness of the importance of the ocean in our lives and the positive and negative impact of our actions on it.This derives not only from scientific studies, but also from the practical and traditional knowledge of the human communities that have coevolved with the sea.The declaration will be shared with United Nations Member States on 2 July in New York, serving as a cornerstone for defining the agenda of the United Nations Ocean Conference which will take place in Nice in 2025 and will be co-hosted by the governments of France and Costa Rica.

The points of the declaration

Below is a summary of the ten points of the declaration.

The adoption of the declaration was welcomed with enthusiasm by Francesca Santoro, responsible for ocean education activities for the COI of UNESCO, which defined the Venice Declaration as "a community of people";a fundamental «living document» for addressing environmental challenges;an enabling factor to achieve the sustainable objectives of the Decade".Satisfaction also for Lorenzo Bertelli, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility of the Prada Group and Patron of the Ocean Decade Alliance:«We hope that the Venice Declaration will fuel the debate on the importance of ocean education and the need to act, and will carry us with enthusiasm and a positive spirit until the next conference in Nice».

The SEA BEYOND Ideas Box

The conference continued with the presentation of the first SEA BEYOND Ideas Box.A mobile and easily transportable media library designed ten years ago by the world-famous designer Philippe Starck for Bibliothèques Sans Frontières.The SEA BEYOND Ideas BOX aims to contribute toocean literacy in disadvantaged contexts.In the over 100 square meters of the media library, Starck spoke with Patrick Weil, Founder and President of BSF.The two retraced the history of their collaboration and outlined the objective that led to the birth of this specific version of the media library whose contents were curated by the team of ocean literacy of UNESCO.The SEA BEYOND ideas box after Venice will be entrusted to the Quartieri Spagnoli Foundation of Naples.With the aim of educating more and more children and young people about the ocean, a selection of contents on the ocean theme will be integrated into Ideas Boxes already operational in metropolitan France and overseas regions (8 Ideas Box), Burundi (4 Ideas Box) and Ivory Coast (6 Ideas Box).

«Bibliothèques Sans Frontières brings world peace to those who have lost it – declared Starck – through dreams, intelligence, culture and education».«SEA BEYOND – added the designer – has the same objective of peace and intelligence, but with the focus on that 71% of the world which is the ocean».Weil recalled the mission for which the SEA BEYOND Ideas Box was born:«To offer young generations the opportunity to access fundamental knowledge and information about the ocean, and therefore make ocean education inclusive throughout the world».

Educate about the ocean by living it:the SEA BEYONDers

The different ways of promotingocean literacy were also the subject of conversation among the SEA BEYONDers, ambassadors of the SEA BEYOND project:Carmelo Isgrò (marine biologist and founder of Muma – Sea Museum of Milazzo), Elisabetta Zavoli (photojournalist and National Geographic Explorer), Giovanni Chimienti (Marine biologist and National Geographic Explorer), Maya Gabeira (Big Wave Surfer and UNESCO Champion for Ocean and Youth), Titouan Bernicot (founder and CEO of Coral Gardeners and National Geographic Explorer), Valentina Gottlieb (environmental advocate and actress).

Each of them brought their own perspective and relationship with the ocean to the stage.Bernicot and Chimienti underlined the importance of corals.«Living beings who have survived various mass extinctions and catastrophic events, who have also been threatened by our actions in the last 200 years», analyzed Chimienti.Coral reefs can not only be protected, but rebuilt.Bernicot recalled the moment he planted his first coral and that what started as an experiment turned into a coral reef restoration and enlargement project in the Pacific Islands.

Both reiterated the importance of disseminating knowledge as widely as possible.So does Gabeira:«It was only in 2020 – said the surfer – when I reached the pinnacle of my sport and achieved my second world record, that I realized that it made no sense for me to be an excellent athlete and not use my voice .I want to show people that you can do both."Concept similar to that expressed by Gottlieb:«I realized that I had a growing and very young audience that followed me», said the actress.«It was then that SEA BEYOND arrived, which allowed me to share my passion and my connection with nature and the ocean and to tell about a wonderful world in which children can make a difference».

To the words are added the experiences, such as the one that can be lived at the MuMa Museo del Mare in Milazzo curated by Isgrò:«The museum is not about death, but about life.It was born around the story of the sperm whale Siso, who died due to illegal fishing nets.The same network that ended his life has become a network of relationships, uniting people around the great cause of protecting our precious marine ecosystems."Finally, Zavoli brought his attention to a problem, that of invasive species, which with the blue crab closely concerns the city of Venice, threatening its native biodiversity, but also offering new opportunities for local fishermen and the lagoon economy.The important thing, the photojournalist reiterated, is "that decision makers are adequately informed about ocean problems, because the decisions we make (or don't make) today will influence future generations".

The Partnership with Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli and UNESCO

The dissemination of ocean protection messages is also the subject of the partnership between Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli and UNESCO, announced during the Ocean Literacy World Conference.The UNESCO and SEA BEYOND logos will in fact be present on the sails of Luna Rossa during the 37th America's Cup, which will take place in September and October 2024 in Barcelona.Satisfaction on the part of Max Sirena, Skipper and Team Director of Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, who underlined:«I am deeply proud to start this collaboration.Knowing that our team and our boat have been chosen to spread ocean education and the protection of the marine environment globally alongside UNESCO is a great honor and we will work to be worthy of it."Audrey Azoulay, Director General of UNESCO, also expressed satisfaction:«Through Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, it is the protection of the ocean that participates in the America's Cup.It is also a magnificent opportunity to strengthen the partnership between UNESCO and the Prada Group for ocean education."