The Ocean Literacy Forum is a strategic dialogue platform aimed at integrating ocean literacy into public education policies, with a focus on promoting the Blue Curriculum across all regions of Brazil.
The Blue Curriculum connects the ocean to citizenship, the training of new professionals, and sustainability, making it essential for preparing society to face present and future climate and environmental challenges. It considers ocean literacy a fundamental pillar in shaping 21st-century citizens and professionals and has been set as a UNESCO goal, requiring countries to initiate their implementation processes by 2025.
With the ocean covering 70% of the planet and playing a vital role in food security, climate regulation, biodiversity, and a sustainable economy, integrating ocean literacy into education is more than a commitment—it is a strategic step toward advancing global agendas such as the 2030 Agenda and the Paris Agreement.
Brazil is already a global leader in this field, with pioneering legislation, the mobilization of schools through programs like the Blue School Network, and a national movement to include ocean literacy in school curricula.
2025: A Landmark Year for Ocean Literacy
Several major international events will place ocean literacy in the spotlight in 2025:
- 22nd National Week of Science and Technology, with the theme Ocean Literacy
- United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC), in June
- COP30, in November, in Belém (PA)
In this context, Brazil has a unique opportunity to strengthen its leadership in ocean literacy. To achieve this, a territorial consultation is essential to identify regional opportunities and challenges in implementing the Blue Curriculum.
The Brazilian Alliance for Ocean Literacy invites state and municipal Departments of Education, as well as institutions working in formal education, to join this transformative movement. Since December 2024, the Alliance has been actively engaging stakeholders across Brazil to establish dialogues with education departments, ensuring that ocean literacy integration respects the unique educational, social, cultural, economic, and environmental characteristics of each region.
Together, we can drive educational policies that bring the ocean into classrooms and strengthen Brazil’s global leadership in ocean literacy.
Phases of the Ocean Literacy Forum: The Blue Curriculum in Brazilian Regions
The Ocean Literacy Forum will unfold in multiple stages throughout 2025:
- By March 2025 – Regional Forums will take place in each of Brazil’s five regions.
- By August 2025 – Municipal and state workshops will be held to map opportunities for integrating ocean literacy into school curricula, allowing teachers and education professionals to contribute to the process.
- Between August and October 2025 – Regional reports and a national consolidated report will be produced and made available for public consultation.
- November 2025 – At COP30 in Belém, the Brazilian process and its regional and national outcomes will be presented, with an official document submitted to the National Education Council.
