The Ocean & Waters Ambassadors contest has come to an exciting conclusion, and we are delighted to announce the winners!

With an impressive 3,219  votes cast, your engagement and support have had a significant impact, bringing these inspiring initiatives into the spotlight.

The contest provided a fantastic opportunity to showcase the efforts of students and schools dedicated to safeguarding our ocean and waters. Their creativity, innovation and dedication are truly inspiring, and demonstrate that we can all play a part in protecting our blue planet.

After two weeks of voting, we are thrilled to announce the three projects that have received the most votes:

BLUE GUARDS – İncilipınar Şehit Burhan Acar İmam Hatip Secondary School – Türkiye

This project aimed to integrate ocean literacy into school life through multidisciplinary activities centred on biodiversity, climate change, pollution, and the blue economy. Involving more than 300 students, it combined science, creativity, and real-life action to foster critical thinking and long-term behavioural change. A particular highlight was the project’s commitment to international cooperation: a cross-border collaboration with a Romanian school strengthened intercultural understanding and connected local actions to global challenges.

BLUE WAVES – Small Steps, Big Waves
Muğla Technology and Culture College – Türkiye

Through their blue project , Muğla Technology and Culture College set out to bring the ocean into the classroom, and the classroom into the ocean. With 160 primary school students aged 9 to 11 at its heart, the project combined together science, creativity, and civic engagement. A particular highlight was the project’s deep rootedness in the local ecosystem: by visiting research centres, treatment facilities, and environmental organisations in their region, students gained a concrete understanding of the environment in which they live and grow. Beyond the classroom, the project also reached outward as a cross-border twinning partnership with a Romanian school connected local actions to global challenges, while a public conference brought together 300 community members, experts, and local press.

Blue Team for Danube – Colegiul Național „Alexandru Ioan Cuza” – Romania

Their project placed the Danube at the centre of student life, turning 450 young learners into active guardians of their local environment. Rooted in the rhythms of the river and the traditions of the surrounding region, the project brought environmental science together with cultural discovery: from sustainable fishing practices to local customs and food heritage. What made the initiative truly stand out was its outward reach: students trained as ecoguides took their ecological messages beyond the school gates, running awareness campaigns in their community on topics ranging from water waste and selective waste collection to the protection of Danube biodiversity. Partnerships with specialised institutions monitoring water quality and promoting sustainable fishing further grounded the project in real-world expertise, giving students firsthand insight into the challenges and opportunities facing their river ecosystem.