A-AAGORA participation in European Ocean Days 2025

A-AAGORA Fostering Collaboration for Ocean and Water Restoration

From 3 to 7 March, the European Ocean Days 2025 brought together in Brussels a wide range of stakeholders to discuss and address challenges related to the protection of our ocean and waters. Throughout the week, different topics were covered, and A-AAGORA project participated actively in the event, engaging with other projects, initiatives and contributing to discussions on marine restoration.

Interactive Engagement and Exhibits

At the A-AAGORA booth, shared with BlueMissionAA, CLIMAREST and OKEANO fellows, visitors had the opportunity to engage with the project through interactive games such as the Map Questionnaire and a quiz on coastal restoration. The booth also showcased A-AAGORA’s innovative solutions, such as our children’s book “Explore the Ocean with Clio”, which aims to inspire the next generation of ocean advocates, and our booklet illustrating A-AAGORA’s innovative solutions. The stand was an important space to share our progress and engage with visitors interested in learning more about our work.

Contribution to Mission Ocean Discussions

Throughout the week, A-AAGORA participated in several discussions on how to strengthen synergies between Mission Ocean initiatives. One such session focused on deploying initiatives across sea basins, maximising their impact and scaling up for the next phase. A-AAGORA provided valuable insights on best practices for engaging multiple stakeholders and ensuring that projects have a lasting impact on coastal ecosystems.

Collaborative Workshops and Knowledge Sharing

One of the most important participatory moments for A-AAGORA was the joint workshop with the CLIMAREST project, held at the SINTEF headquarters. This session focused on the challenges and strategies for marine restoration, with project partners, demonstration sites and representatives from associated regions discussing the role of community involvement and innovative solutions in promoting coastal resilience.

A-AAGORA also played a key role in the “Living Lab Approach” workshop. This session brought together A-AAGORA partners and associated regions to share knowledge on how the Living Lab approach is being used to engage local stakeholders and accelerate progress in coastal restoration efforts. The lessons learned highlighted the importance of collaboration and knowledge transfer to achieve effective and scalable solutions.

In addition, A-AAGORA project participated in the session on transferring knowledge and innovation to decision-making, co-organised by ACTeon. This workshop highlighted early lessons from Mission Ocean-funded projects and how knowledge transfer can accelerate ecosystem restoration in and outside Marine Protected Areas (MPAs).

Engaging Youth

Another moment for A-AAGORA was our participation in the Young Voices for the Ocean event. A-AAGORA joined the conversation on how younger generations can help shape the future of ocean conservation, and reinforced the need for their active participation in decision-making processes that affect marine ecosystems.

Recognition of Key Contributions

During the event, two A-AAGORA partners were recognised for their efforts in marine restoration and social inclusion. Porto de Aveiro presented its decarbonisation efforts, sharing its decarbonisation plan for small and medium-sized ports, along with a carbon emissions calculator developed as part of the A-AAGORA project. Similarly, Asociación AMICOS, based in Galicia, was recognised for its innovative approach to integrating social inclusion into marine restoration through its Amirios project. This initiative involved people with intellectual disabilities in the environmental restoration process, demonstrating the importance of inclusive approaches to ecosystem restoration.

The European Ocean Days 2025 provided an opportunity for A-AAGORA to showcase our work in marine restoration and coastal resilience. Through workshops, discussions and interactive engagement, we were able to share our progress, foster collaboration and continue to contribute to the larger goal of ocean and water restoration.