SEA MARVEL, an Interreg Italia-Malta project coordinated by the University of Catania and the University of Malta, has for the last three years worked toward safeguarding marine biodiversity in the central Mediterranean through scientific research and through the active engagement of important stakeholders of our seas, including fishermen, sailors, and schools. Working with the Ministry for Education and schools, as one of the communities central to the aims of the SEA MARVEL project, has allowed scientific researchers to increase awareness and sustainable actions amongst our youths.

To enhance marine conservation goals through schools, the SEA MARVEL University of Malta project team led by the conservation biologist Prof. Adriana Vella, organised a celebratory educational event on 29 September 2023 hosted by the De La Salle College, Birgu. Keynote speeches from Prof. Vella, the Ministry for Education, Sport, Youth, Research and Innovation representative Mr Francesco Debono, the De La Salle College Director of Educational Mission, Mr Stephen Cachia, and the Hon. Minister for Environment, Energy and Enterprise, Dr Miriam Dalli, stimulated students’ curiosity, understanding and participatory role in protecting the marine environment and biodiversity. They were also reminded that increasing professional opportunities are being provided through the blue economy and maritime advancements side by side with new marine discoveries.

Throughout the past three years SEA MARVEL has been giving educational sessions on biodiversity conservation across schools in Malta and Gozo. To enhance this effort, during the final school event, educational videos, and textbooks focusing on regional marine biodiversity conservation specifically prepared for primary and secondary schools were launched and distributed as educational resources for years to come. Educational sessions in schools have been enriched using a unique photographic exhibition displaying the vast biodiversity including, vulnerable apex predators in Maltese waters. The negative ever-growing anthropogenic impacts such as plastic pollution within marine Natura 2000 sites were also highlighted during educational sessions and in resources provided. Since its launch, the SEA MARVEL photographic exhibition has been roving in different primary and secondary educational institutions reaching thousands of students while furthering their appreciation towards local marine biodiversity and urgent conservation needs. The sea is a complex system that we still need to fully comprehend through research while valuing its life supporting dynamics for this planet and its anthropogenic socio-economic well-being.

Through SEA MARVEL activities, secondary school students were engaged to express their desire to save, enhance, and admire the marine versatile life. One such activity included a school challenge. Challenge winners from De La Salle College and St. Martin’s College were awarded with a unique trip to Sicily to admire and learn about the marine Natura 2000 sites of Sicily. This interesting experience included a visit around the beautiful Cyclopean Isles on a glass bottom boat. During the final school event in Malta, the challenge winners from the Sicilian schools were also present after they were awarded a trip to Malta where they too visited beautiful marine Natura 2000 sites including Ghar Lapsi, in Malta and Ramla Bay, in Gozo. Through SEA MARVEL, the Maltese and Sicilian challenge winners were given the opportunity to experience best practices to appreciate and safeguard the marine natural resources of this region with shared knowledge and responsibility for a better future.

The final SEA MARVEL school event celebrated the continued efforts by the Plastic Free Schools through the distribution of marine decorated reusable bottles which complemented the extensive awareness campaigns. Schools that agreed to take up plastic free protocols were awarded the SEA MARVEL Plastic Free School plaques. The Hon. Min. Dalli gladly gave out both the plaque and challenge winning certificates to the De La Salle college representative Ms Audrey Gauci and respective winner students: Elias Aquilina, Alexander Conrad, Joachim Dalli, Jerome Falzon, Kryan Gerada. Prof. Vella praised all students that participated passionately in all the SEA MARVEL school activities including the challenges and invited them to sustain a keen interest in developing their contributions towards caring for our seas even through voluntary work. She thanked the hosting school and both the Ministry for Education and the Ministry for Environment, both associate project partners, for assisting SEA MARVEL initiatives including this event. Min. Dalli concluded by complementing both the SEA MARVEL team and the SEA MARVEL participating schools and students as they are the real superheroes needed to see our marine environment saved. The SEA MARVEL message may further spread out to the relatives, friends, and the rest of Maltese citizens in highlighting the fact that each and every one of us has the heroic ability to protect our versatile and essential marine environment by conscious and sustainable decisions taken in our everyday life.

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