• Posted 16-Mar-2020

Youth team up for science diplomacy to preserve the Atlantic Ocean

A new generation of EU-backed scientists from 15 countries is joining forces to protect the Atlantic Ocean through innovative communication campaigns and by building bonds for future cooperation.

From Iceland to South Africa and Cabo Verde to Canada by way of Brazil and the United States, the All-Atlantic Ocean Youth Ambassadors are driving positive change.  

What unites them is their connection to the Atlantic – stretching from the Arctic to Antarctica – and their passion to preserve it. 

The young scientists – 23 in all – received a standing ovation at the February 2020 All-Atlantic Ocean Research Forum hosted by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Research and Innovation after presenting public outreach projects focused on ‘sharing, connecting and acting’.   

These include the #MyAtlanticStory social media campaign, which encourages people to paint their faces blue and share their personal stories about the Atlantic, helping to promote knowledge about the ocean and foster a sense of common heritage. 

The youth ambassadors attended 100 events over six months to get their message out, with activities ranging from setting up citizen science projects in Argentina, to school field trips in Iceland and beach clean-ups in the US. Further initiatives include promoting a more sustainable carnival in Brazil and using traditional seafood recipes in Canada to inspire a more sustainable use of ocean resources. 

Building cross-border bonds

The youth ambassadors are linked to two Atlantic Ocean research cooperation agreements – the Galway Statement signed by the EU, the US and Canada, and the Belém Statement involving the EU, Brazil and South Africa – as well as two bilateral arrangements between the Commission and Argentina and Cabo Verde.

The idea is to get scientists from different countries to work together to tackle common global challenges such as ocean conservation. By encouraging cooperation among youth ambassadors, this initiative is creating bonds that transcend borders and planting the seeds for more organic science diplomacy in years to come. 

Participants, who first met at an August 2019 ‘summer school’ in Ireland, told the European Youth Portal that working towards a common goal has made them see how much they share despite their diverse backgrounds – and how coming together is helping to lay the foundations for a more peaceful future.

Source: European Youth Portal News (http://bit.ly/2TUTqOk)