Barcelona becomes a laboratory of blue co-creation (10–11 April 2025)
Words by Sophia Laarissa on behalf of OL4BC Project
As part of the EU #PREP4BLUE Pilot Action, individuals from Germany, Estonia, Spain, Morocco, and the Czech Republic came together to explore how multisensory and participatory approaches can shape regenerative and inclusive coastal futures.
It was an honor to represent the work of our team, Ocean Literacy for Blue Citizenship (OL4BC) — an initiative equipping Early Career Ocean Professionals with the knowledge, mindset, and tools to become active, informed citizens capable of influencing ocean-related decisions, from daily actions to global policy-making.
Our sessions explored how blue literacy, when activated through our senses using tools such as VR, intergenerational hackathons, art, communal games, and community-rooted storytelling, can foster resilience, connection, and contribute to building blue peace.
What stood out:
- The power of engaging all senses — sight, sound, taste, emotion, and memory — in ocean learning and understanding;
- Genuine transdisciplinary collaboration — uniting artists, scientists, educators, technologists, and youth;
- A shared commitment to co-designing futures that are participatory, hopeful, aquatic-connected, and nature-centered.
A highlight:
Listening to the lived stories, challenges, and resilience of the Cofradía de Pescadores — a powerful reminder that the future is shaped as much by memory and place as by innovation.
(For more details concerning this visit, please check: https://www.cpbarna.com/es/2025/04/15/jornadas-conservacion-del-oceano/)
Special thanks:
Many thanks to Ifigeneia Giannoukakou-Leontsini for bringing us together with such care and clarity.
And deep gratitude to everyone who made this experience so enriching and collaborative:
Jade Zoghbi, PhD, Ladislas de Miramon, Michal Lovecky, Nicole Loeser, Sandra Lund;
And the inspiring teams from Institut de Ciències del Mar – CSIC, Centre de la Platja Barcelona, and @Bluegenesfor their generosity and welcoming spirit.
To my wonderful teammates Karina Higa and Laura Khatib — thank you for your trust, vision, and dedication in planting and watering the seeds of this project. It was a true privilege to represent you and us.
