INFORPRESS
Aug 3, 2025
The Carlos Albertino Veiga Foundation is promoting the second edition of the Ocean Summit on November 7th in São Vicente, focusing on ocean literacy and bridging the gap between science, education, and coastal communities.
Praia City, August 3 (Inforpress) – The Carlos Albertino Veiga Foundation will host the second edition of the Ocean Summit on November 7th in São Vicente, focusing on ocean literacy and bridging the gap between science, education, and coastal communities.
The information was given to Inforpress by the foundation's president, Paulo Veiga, who added that this year's edition will be integrated into Ocean Week, prioritizing an understanding of how the ocean influences human life and how human behavior, in turn, impacts marine ecosystems.
He stated that three protocols were signed, namely with the National Directorate of Fisheries and Aquaculture, the National Directorate of Maritime Policy, and the Institute of the Sea, this being the foundation's first initiative officially included in the Ocean Week organized by the Government.
According to Paulo Veiga, ocean literacy goes beyond scientific knowledge; it also encompasses the ability to communicate consciously about the sea and make informed and sustainable decisions, assuming individual and collective responsibilities for its preservation.
"Essentially, it's a way for us to connect with the ocean by recognizing our individual and collective responsibility towards it," he explained.
Given that Cape Verde is 99% sea, the foundation aims not only to disseminate scientific knowledge, but also to value the traditional knowledge of coastal and fishing communities, promoting the exchange between science, politics and local experience.
“One of the Foundation’s objectives is precisely that, to better understand the ocean so that we can not only protect it, but also explore it sustainably, all the resources that may exist and be available, (…) linking science, education, politics and the reality of Cape Verde, of our coastal and fishing areas, among others,” he said.
The president stated that during the ocean summit, held in Nice in June, it was noted that one of the major global concerns is the need to involve communities in decisions and debates about the ocean.
In this regard, he assured that for this year's edition, representatives from fishmongers' and fishermen's associations will be invited, who will have space to share their experiences, challenges, and proposed solutions.
“We have to work with the people and for the people, therefore we are working on the oceans, we have to work with and for the coastal communities that we have,” he stressed, highlighting that the objective is to truly involve those who live from and with the sea in decisions about their future.
Regarding the participation of international institutions and individuals, noteworthy are the Canadian institution DOTCAN and the Government of the Azores, which will bring its experience in developing school curricula on the blue economy and marine education and will serve as a reference for Cape Verde.
He added that a traveling educational project is also being prepared, in collaboration with the Foundation of the Seas and the Ministry of Education, which will allow Cape Verdean students to learn about the seabed and ocean biodiversity of the country.
“We are also negotiating with the Ministry of Education for this purpose, in which children will be able to take a virtual dive and discover the depths of our oceans. Therefore, we want to gather all the information we have and present it virtually so that our young people and children can also begin to have this contact with the richness of our seas,” he emphasized.
The first edition of the Ocean Summit 2024 took place in October at the Planetarium Museum of the Portuguese Navy in Lisbon, Portugal.
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