SHORE comes to a close: celebrating three years of ocean and water literacy in action

After three years of activities, collaboration and school-led projects across Europe, the SHORE project is coming to an end. Launched as part of the EU Mission “Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030”, SHORE has worked to strengthen ocean and water literacy by bringing together students, teachers, schools, researchers, local communities and partners around one shared goal: helping young people better understand, protect and engage with our ocean, seas, rivers and waters.

Throughout the project, schools were supported in developing their own blue projects. Through open calls, mentoring activities, educational resources, and events, SHORE and its mentorship program, helped connect school communities with local stakeholders towards healthier ocean and waters.

Behind this work was a broad European network of project partners and country hubs, whose contribution was essential to SHORE’s implementation and reach. Beyond supporting schools, they helped connect local communities, education actors, researchers and stakeholders, ensuring that ocean and water literacy were adapted to different national and regional contexts. Their role was key in turning SHORE into a collaborative European effort.

Tools, resources and platforms to carry SHORE forward

As the project ends, several final outputs, tools and resources have been developed to support the long-term use of SHORE results and share the lessons learned with teachers, educators, schools, country hubs, partners and other organisations interested in ocean literacy.

These resources will help ensure that the project’s results remain accessible beyond the end of the project. They also make SHORE’s experience reusable, by offering concrete materials, examples, good practices and guidance that schools, educators and partners can adapt to continue developing ocean and water literacy initiatives.

Students driving ocean and water literacy

At the heart of SHORE were the students and their blue projects. Through several campaigns, including the Open Calls, the Funded School series and the Ocean and Waters Ambassadors of the Year contests, SHORE gave visibility to the ideas, actions and commitment of young people working to better understand and protect their local ocean and waters. From awareness-raising activities to hands-on environmental actions, students played a key role in bringing ocean and water literacy to life in their schools and communities.

In total, SHORE funded 95 schools, that involved more than 48,000 students, supported the organisation of over 1,400 blue activities and contributed to the collection of more than 7 tonnes of waste. These results were also shared widely through SHORE’s social media channels on Instagram and Facebook: across the three Open Calls combined, the Funded School series generated more than 67,300 views and 1,840 interactions on Instagram alone, helping students’ initiatives reach audiences beyond the SHORE network.

A shared journey towards ocean and water literacy

As SHORE comes to a close, this final moment is an opportunity to thank everyone who contributed to the project. We warmly thank all project partners for their commitment, expertise and steady collaboration throughout the project.

We are also deeply grateful to the teachers, educators and school staff who brought ocean and water literacy into classrooms, and to all the students who turned ideas into concrete blue projects with creativity, curiosity and enthusiasm.

Finally, a warm thank you to our sister projects BlueLightS and ProBleu for their collaboration, ideas and constant exchanges. It has been a pleasure to work hand in hand with such passionate teams, united by a common vision to preserve our ocean and waters. While SHORE and ProBleu are coming to an end, BlueLightS will continue carrying this momentum for another year.

SHORE has shown how powerful education can be when students are invited to explore real environmental challenges and take action in their own communities. Its legacy will continue through the resources developed, the schools funded, the practices shared and the European community built around ocean and water literacy.