Ocean literacy

"We can only love what we know and we will only protect what we love." 

If we want to preserve the ocean in a way that brings us joy and ensures our survival on the planet, we need to do a much better job of spreading awareness and knowledge about it. Only when we understand how important the ocean is to each and every one of us will we be able to make responsible decisions regarding the ocean and its resources. When we understand the ocean properly we will voluntarily change our behaviour and motivate others to do the same.

For the German Ocean Foundation , ocean literacy for all is one of its most important priorities. Marine education should be accessible to everyone from kindergarten to elementary school to university and further education, but also for older generations. Every German Ocean Foundation project has an educational element: from the "love your ocean" initiative at boot in Düsseldorf, which welcomes over 1,000 schoolchildren every year, to the annual SeaExperienceDays at the Baltic coast or the Ocean Science Exhibition on the Cap San Diego in Hamburg to the Research at sea competition, where schoolchildren from the 9th grade and above have the opportunity to conduct their own marine research on board the research vessel ALDEBARAN.

In addition, the German Ocean Foundation organizes events and projects for schools, collaborates on the Ocean Lovers Education platform and our Ocean Book and supports young marine biologists in the early stages of their careers.

We are convinced that the more you know about the ocean, the more you will do to protect it.