Blue Schools Sicily: A Day at MuMa Milazzo dedicated to Ocean Literacy and the Schools of the Future
On Saturday, September 19, 2026, starting at 9:00 a.m., the MuMa Museo del Mare Milazzo, located inside the Castle of Milazzo, will host “Blue Schools Sicily”, a day of discussion, exchange, and training dedicated to Ocean Education and to the opportunity for Sicilian schools to become part of the European Blue Schools Network.
The initiative aims to introduce participants to the European Blue Schools project and, above all, to help school leaders, teachers, and educators understand in practical terms what it means to be a Blue School, how to join the network, and how to integrate Ocean Education into regular teaching activities.
By taking part in the event, participants will have the opportunity to discover how to join the European Blue Schools Network, a community of schools committed to bringing knowledge of the ocean and its fundamental role in the life of our Planet into educational programmes. It will also be an opportunity to learn about the opportunities offered by the network and the support available to schools as they work towards Blue School certification.
The sessions will be coordinated by Carmelo Isgrò, Director of the MuMa Museo del Mare Milazzo. The day will bring together experts and representatives from the worlds of education, universities, research, and organisations committed to marine education and conservation.
Speakers will include Francesca Santoro, Senior Programme Officer of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC-UNESCO); Bernardo Reduto Leal, Associate Programme Specialist at UNESCO’s IOC; Dominika Wojcieszek, EMSEA and European Blue School Network; Maria Tomarchio and Raffaella Strongoli, from the Department of Education Sciences at the University of Catania; Antonella Portarapillo, Headteacher of I.C. “Ferdinando Russo”, the lead school of the Blue Schools Network in Naples; Emanuele Golino, PhD researcher at the University of Catania; Carolyn Berger, Deputy Director of the MuMa Museo del Mare Milazzo and Scientix Ambassador; Norman Larocca, from the Acqua dell’Elba Foundation; Rosalba and Raffaella Giugni and Carmen Di Penta, from Marevivo; and Lorenza Sala, from La Nave di Carta in La Spezia.
The exchange of different experiences will provide an opportunity to explore the value of Ocean Literacy, or Ocean Education, not simply as scientific knowledge about the sea, but as an educational tool capable of connecting the environment, society, culture, citizenship, and individual and collective responsibility. The aim is to provide schools with ideas, tools, and practical experiences for developing interdisciplinary projects in which students can become active participants in understanding and protecting the marine environment.
The programme will continue in the afternoon with a strongly practical component. At 3:00 p.m., a round-table discussion with an open exchange of ideas will encourage dialogue among teachers, experts, and organisations already involved in the Blue School journey. At 4:00 p.m., a project-design workshop for teachers will take place, offering an opportunity to explore methods and tools for transforming an educational idea related to the sea into a fully developed Blue School project. Finally, at 5:00 p.m., the youngest participants will take centre stage with an educational workshop for children, providing a hands-on opportunity to discover how ocean-related themes can be explored and experienced through engaging educational activities.
In this way, “Blue Schools Sicily” aims to be not only an informative event, but above all a starting point for building and strengthening a network of Sicilian schools united by Ocean Education. The initiative will connect the school community with universities, museums, associations, scientific institutions, and organisations working every day to promote knowledge and protection of the sea.
The MuMa, established with a strong commitment to environmental education and the promotion of marine culture, will thus become a meeting place for teachers, students, educators, and professionals interested in bringing the ocean increasingly into schools and transforming knowledge into participation, awareness, and action.
Participation in the event is free, with registration required. To register, please complete the form available at the following link
Maritime Forum link
