The cycle of the Ocean Secret’s seminars deal with critical and topical issues of the Planet: Marine Pollution, Biodiversity Conservation and Climate Change (2 of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals as established by the UN and the EU). 2021 marked the start of the Decade for Ocean Science (UN) and Ocean Literacy (OL) is crucial to turn knowledge into action. The condition of our planet affects us directly while it determines our future, living conditions, challenges, and even our survival.

The aim is, through an experiential and multi-sensory approach, the primary school students to become aware of the relationship between man and the marine/ocean environment both locally and globally (however far from the coast they live), to become aware of the problems associated with it and to become active in an effort to address them.

The motivation and interest to carry out these actions in hard-to-reach schools of the Ionian Islands is to give these children the opportunity to have access to a special extracurricular activity that will enrich their school program, to raise awareness in the context of developing the skills of active citizens of the world but also to feel that they are included, that they are not isolated, and that they have opportunities. The material has been prepared based on academic knowledge in the fields of Oceanography, Climate Change, Marine Pollution, Environmental Impacts, and Sustainable Development. Moreover, recently it has been updated by new knowledge and teaching practices through the completion of ASPAITE’s Pedagogical Proficiency program.

Project updates:

In 2023, the IEF-supported Ocean Education programme, “Ocean’s Secrets,” successfully connecting with hard-to-reach primary schools across the Ionian Islands. This initiative engaged 11 schools in Kalamos, Ithaca, Zante, and Kythira, reaching about 470 students. This is in addition to the 300 students in Mathraki, Ereikousa, Paxoi, and Meganisi previously reached by Ocean’s Secrets.

The programme’s seminars garnered positive responses from both nursery and primary students, as well as their teachers. Notably, Kalamos, the smallest school, with only seven students, expressed deep gratitude for the opportunity.

Ithaca posed its own challenges with heavy weather, but all primary schools were successfully reached. Despite rain and wind, thematic rooms were set up, and students engaged in discussions on the local and global impact of ocean pollution. The children were able to connect distant challenges, like those faced by the polar regions, to their local environment.

The project’s true triumph lies in the smiling faces and enthusiasm with which all the students participated in each class! From their feedback, it is clear that it has left a lasting impact on their understanding and appreciation for the ocean, instilling a sense of environmental responsibility.