From March 3-7, 2025, the 3rd Annual Mission Forum of the “Restore Our Ocean and Waters” Mission took place in Brussels. This event gathered experts, policymakers, and organizations committed to protecting and restoring Europe’s aquatic ecosystems. It was part of the EU Ocean Days, a full week dedicated to advancing ocean and water-related initiatives in Europe.
ProBleu had a strong presence throughout the event, alongside its sister projects BlueLightS and SHORE, contributing actively to key sessions and networking opportunities:
On Monday, our technical coordinator, Elisabet Bonfill, delivered a 3-minute pitch during the “Digital Knowledge Public Mobilisation” cluster meeting. Her presentation took place in the “Connecting Mission Projects for Ocean, Seas, and Inland Waters” session, where she showcased ProBleu’s achievements in strengthening blue education across Europe.
Also on Monday, ProBleu co-organized the workshop “Strengthening Blue Education in Europe, Collectively!” together with SHORE and BlueLightS. The session gathered around 20 professionals, facilitating discussions on strategies to enhance blue education and foster collaboration among stakeholders.
Simultaneously, ProBleu had a presence at the Blue Educational Corner, where we engaged with attendees, promoted the three sister projects, and reconnected with both old and new allies in ocean and water literacy.
Matchmaking Session: In the afternoon, the ProBleu team took part in the Mission Matchmaking Session, connecting with professionals and networks from across Europe to explore future collaborations in expanding the European Blue Schools network.
On Tuesday, March 4, ProBleu, together with SHORE and BlueLightS, hosted an interactive stand featuring a “Blue Wheel of Fortune”. This engaging activity sparked many conversations with projects and individuals eager to promote blue education within their own networks and countries.
During the event, we established meaningful connections with professionals and NGOs from Denmark, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Norway, Slovenia, and more! These connections will help strengthen ProBleu’s outreach efforts and create new opportunities for collaboration at national and regional levels.
Key Meetings and Strategic Discussions
The event also brought together the three coordinators of the sister projects; Pierre Strosser (BlueLightS), Elisabet Bonfill (ProBleu), and Afşin ÇETİNKAYA (SHORE). Throughout the forum, they engaged in valuable discussions about the future of the European Blue Schools network, exchanging insights and strategies to further support schools across Europe in developing ocean and water literacy projects.
Additionally, the communication teams of the three projects took advantage of the in-person gathering to hold a coordination meeting—always a great opportunity to reinforce collaboration beyond virtual interactions!
Looking Ahead: A Shared Commitment
The 3rd Annual Mission Forum was a key moment for reflecting on the progress made and the challenges ahead in achieving the Restore Our Ocean and Waters Mission goals by 2030. Strong emphasis was placed on the importance of continued cooperation between projects, institutions, and policymakers to ensure lasting impact.
ProBleu’s active participation in the event reaffirms our commitment to enhancing blue education, supporting European schools, and fostering a collaborative approach to protecting our oceans and waters.
Funded by the European Union