The wave of change is rolling: Oceano Azul Foundation joins #EUBeachCleanup

As #EUBeachCleanup 2021 nears its peak on Saturday 18 September, International Coastal Cleanup, the momentum keeps building. Today, we are proud to announce that Oceano Azul Foundation is joining our family, supporting the campaign by bringing together many cleanups organized by Portuguese NGOs, municipalities, diving centres, surf and bodyboard schools among others.

Oceano Azul Foundation is driving outstanding efforts in Portugal, with more than 100 organizations and civil society groups signed up, with a common mission to collect marine litter, currently at a staggering 150+ coastal and underwater cleanups all around continental Portugal, in the Azores and Madeira Islands. On their way to setting a new country record!

In the spirit of the strong educational purpose of the #EUBeachCleanup, Oceano Azul Foundation will engage more than 1,300 students from the program “Educating a Blue Generation” cleaning the beach together with the renowned surfer Frederico Morais and pro bodyboarder Joana Schenker.

So, to our new partners: Thank you for joining #EUBeachCleanup. Together, we can turn a drop in the ocean into a wave of change!

Background

The Oceano Azul Foundation was established in 2017, with the motivation to contribute to a healthier and more productive ocean. Under the motto “From the ocean’s point of view”, the Foundation works around three concepts: blue generation, blue natural capital and blue network. Using a science-based approach, the model of change of the Oceano Azul Foundation integrates these three concepts supporting projects on literacy, conservation, sustainable fisheries, campaigns, blue economy, and capacity building namely working with governments, foundations and civil society organizations, within the UN and the EU systems, to advance the international ocean agenda.

Since 2019, Oceano Azul Foundation enhanced over 800 beach cleanups across Portugal, in which more than 14,000 volunteers and 200 organizations collected more than 134 tons of marine litter.

#EUBeachCleanup is a joint initiative of the European Union, the United Nations and the Smurfs. Since 2017, the campaign has organized ocean activism and awareness-raising activities across the world. The 2021 edition of #EUBeachCleanup is dedicated to the protection of marine life, preparing for the UN conference on biodiversity, CoP-15.

More information

#EUBeachCleanup 2021 - European External Action Service (europa.eu)