"Océano pour tous" for pupils from four countries

This contest has been organised since 2014 by the Oceanographic Institute.

Monaco, La Réunion, Strasbourg, Naples, Senegal… This year, the traditional “Océano pour tous” (Oceano for all) contest is reaching out beyond the PACA region. 25 schools were selected, including four from Priority Education Networks, representing almost 600 pupils.

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For seven years, the contest was aimed at pupils in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region, from priority education schools or those with disabilities. After a day’s immersion and awareness-raising at the Oceanographic Museum, the students produced a five-minute feature to convey a message about preserving marine ecosystems and their biodiversity.

After a special 2021 edition devoted to children who were impacted by storm Alex, the contest is making a change for the first time. After studying projects on ocean protection, the Institut announced the list of 25 classes selected in October 2022.

The aim for these classes is now to make their projects concrete and ‘achievable’. “With ‘Oceano pour Tous’, we help young people implement group projects in line with the Sustainable Development Goals set by the United Nations. The aim is to train and support tomorrow’s citizens in their commitment to the Ocean,” explains Robert Calcagno, Director General of the Institute.

Tailored support

The Oceanographic Institute will give guidance to the classes from 16 November 2022 to 30 March 2023. Teachers and students will have access to the Museum’s educational team through a number of webinars. These take the form of workshops where current environmental issues and the implementation of the different classes’ projects are discussed.

Researchers and oceanographers regularly take part. On the pupils’ side, the research is fuelled by a multitude of teaching aids that the Museum makes available to them.

“For students to become true ambassadors for the Ocean and to be able to put their projects into practice, we will be providing innovative and interactive tools to help them discover the Ocean from all angles: discovering ecosystems and their biodiversity, understanding the role of the Ocean in regulating the climate and analysing the impact of human activities,” says Tiziana Caporale, Head of the Institute’s Events and Education Department.

Key contest dates

From 16 November 2022 to 30 March 2023 : the Oceanographic Institute guides and supports the pupils and their teachers in the implementation of their ocean protection project.
31 March 2023 : the pupils submit their project, including a video and a presentation outlining their approach, the means used, the actors involved and the results obtained in terms of ecological impact.
From 11 to 19 April 2023 : a jury of professionals will meet and select the classes that have carried out the most impactful projects from a human and environmental point of view.
13 June 2023 : Awards ceremony at the Oceanographic Museum in Monaco.

The three winners will earn a two-day trip to Monaco and €5,000 to organise ocean awareness activities.