It is with great satisfaction that we share the full speech of the President of the Carlos Albertino Veiga Foundation, Dr. Paulo Veiga, delivered during the Portuguese Government's Sea Week at Expo Osaka 2025. This is an opportunity to fully understand the Foundation's vision, commitments, and message in defense of the Ocean and sustainable development, as well as its role in bilateral relations with Portugal.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Distinguished guests,

Dear friends,

It is an honor and a privilege for me to be here today at the Portuguese Pavilion at Expo Osaka, representing the Carlos Albertino Veiga Foundation, and to be able to share with you our passion and commitment to the ocean.

First of all, I would like to warmly thank the Directorate-General for Maritime Policy of Portugal, in the person of its director, Eng. Marisa Lameiras da Silva, and a special thank you to the Secretary of State for the Sea, Eng. Salvador Malheiro, for the warm welcome and continued support for ocean literacy initiatives. This meeting symbolizes not only an institutional commitment, but also the desire to join efforts for a more sustainable future for us all.

I also want to extend a special greeting to the delegation from Doca Pesca. Your name is inspiring, as docks are gateways to and from the sea, and you know better than anyone that a healthy ocean guarantees life… and fish! Protecting the sea is not only an environmental duty, it is also the best way to protect your business, because without a clean and vibrant sea there is no sustainable fishing, nor happy docks. We are counting on you in this common effort!

And lastly, a greeting to AICEP. We often talk about literacy when we create a problem and then want to teach how to solve it. That's why it's so important that ocean literacy goes hand in hand with the blue economy. And it's no coincidence that AICEP is here: its remarkable work in promoting Portuguese businesses based on the blue economy will only make sense if there is a healthy ocean. Without the sea, there is no market. Therefore, the effort we make must be everyone's, because the first profit must always be for the planet.

I would like to begin precisely with this last point. It is fundamental to highlight the relevance of the blue economy for both countries. The blue economy plays a crucial role in today's world, and especially in countries where the sea represents much of their essence. Promoting the sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods, and job creation, while preserving the health of the marine ecosystem, are fundamental vectors of this vision for the future.

This approach is essential to address global challenges such as climate change, environmental degradation, and resource scarcity. Furthermore, the blue economy offers significant opportunities for innovation and technological development, boosting sectors such as sustainable fishing, aquaculture, coastal tourism, and marine renewable energy.

Cooperation between the two countries in this field can lead to more sustainable and resilient development, benefiting not only their economies but also contributing to the health of the ocean and the well-being of coastal communities.

Our foundation, based in Cape Verde, has always recognized the ocean not only as a source of life, but also of identity, culture, and economic development. Cape Verde and Portugal share a common history linked to the sea, and this protocol that we are celebrating today will strengthen collaboration on bilateral projects that promote education, research, and marine conservation.

Ocean literacy is, today more than ever, an essential tool. It is through knowledge that we inspire the responsibility, protection, and care that these rich ecosystems deserve. We want children, young people, and adults to understand the importance of the seas, not only as a resource, but as a collective heritage that connects us all.

The best definition I've heard of ocean literacy can be summarized in a simple yet powerful triad: knowledge, responsibility, and action. Knowledge, because only by understanding the ocean can we value it; responsibility, because we are all part of this blue heritage; and action, because the time to act is now. Meetings like this cannot be merely moments of reflection; they must be catalysts for strong and concrete measures to protect the sea that sustains us.

With knowledge, responsibility, and action, we protect our ocean. This should be our motto, a motto not only for the Foundation I represent but for all of us.

These coastal communities are the beating heart of this gift from our planet. It is within them that traditional knowledge of the sea remains alive, passed down from generation to generation, and where the relationship between humankind and the ocean manifests itself most directly and concretely. These communities nourish the culture, economy, and identity of coastal regions, and their well-being depends directly on the health of the seas. Protecting the ocean is, therefore, also protecting these lives, these stories, and this way of life that deeply connects us to the sea.

Beyond scientific knowledge, it is essential to value the experiential and cultural knowledge related to the ocean. This knowledge, passed down through generations, enriches our understanding of and connection with the sea. We must be able to communicate this information clearly and accessibly so that everyone can understand and feel responsible for protecting marine ecosystems. Only in this way, with everyone's participation and action, can we guarantee a sustainable future for our ocean.

The ocean is one. Despite the names we give it, whether Atlantic, Pacific, or Indian, its waters know no borders: they are connected, sharing currents, life, and challenges. What we do in one part of the planet reverberates in all the others. This is our ocean, unique and indivisible, which sustains life and connects continents. May this awareness also inspire us, and just as the waters of the world unite in one body, may we unite in one purpose: to protect, regenerate, and value the Ocean for the generations of today and tomorrow. That is the first lesson of ocean literacy.

The protocol we are signing today is not just a formal agreement; it is a commitment to the future. It symbolizes that Cape Verde and Portugal, together, can develop educational, scientific, and cultural projects that strengthen our connection to the ocean and promote sustainable, conscious, and innovative practices.

I conclude, then, with an invitation that challenges each of us, whether in Cape Verde, Portugal, or anywhere in the world, to become a guardian of the sea. May we transmit this passion and responsibility to new generations, so that the ocean continues to be a source of life, inspiration, and unity among peoples. As we say in Cape Verdean Creole, “un Djunta mon”.

Thank you very much.