PartArt4OW actively participated in the BlueMissionMed Innovation2Society Hackathon, an online webinar held on July 9th, 2025, from 10:00 to 11:30 CEST. This event, organized by the EU-funded BlueMission Med project, aimed to inspire, empower, and support stakeholders dedicated to ocean awareness and education, particularly targeting the general public and younger generations.
In the context of Plastic Free July, the hackathon provided a crucial platform for initiatives like PartArt4OW to engage with a community of education and communication practitioners. The primary objectives of the event were to raise awareness of BlueMission Med's open-source tools and resources for ocean protection, gather inspirational good practices from participants, and collaboratively co-create innovative ideas for integrating these resources into existing practices.
PartArt4OW's participation in the hackathon underscored its commitment to fostering societal engagement with ocean and water issues through innovative means. The agenda included a presentation of BlueMission Med tools and resources, such as "Our Blue Treasure" book for kids, games, hands-on labs, and toolkits for large-scale events and citizen science. These resources align well with PartArt4OW's mission to leverage creative and participatory approaches for ocean literacy.
The hackathon featured two interactive sessions: "Waves of Inspiration" and "Hack the Blue Future." During "Waves of Inspiration," participants shared inspirational good practices in engagement and education, offering PartArt4OW a valuable opportunity to learn from and contribute to a collective pool of effective strategies. The "Hack the Blue Future" session then moved into co-creation, where attendees worked together to integrate BlueMission Med tools and resources into their current practices. PartArt4OW's expertise in participatory art and community engagement likely played a significant role in these discussions, offering unique perspectives on how to make ocean conservation more accessible and engaging.
By taking part in this hackathon, PartArt4OW not only gained insights into new tools and resources but also contributed to a collaborative effort to enhance ocean literacy and activate citizens to contribute to the EU Mission Ocean and Waters objectives. The event served as a testament to the power of synergy among various initiatives working towards a healthier Mediterranean Sea and global oceans.
PartArt4OW remains dedicated to its role in empowering actors to prevent and eliminate pollution in the Mediterranean Sea and waters, and its participation in events like the BlueMissionMed Innovation2Society Hackathon is a key step in supporting, connecting, and structuring existing initiatives for transformative solutions.