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For the first time, the Ocean&Climate Village came to Cagliari, bringing an exhibition dedicated to ocean awareness, the ocean’s role in regulating the climate, and the protection of marine biodiversity to the Sardinian capital. 

The travelling exhibition, organised as part of SEA BEYOND, the ocean education project promoted by Prada Group in collaboration with UNESCO, took place from 9 to 15 October at the Luna Rossa base in Cagliari (Molo Ichnusa), in the spaces between the base, the former cruise terminal and the sea. 

The exhibition featured four thematic sections – One Ocean, The Climate Engine, Biodiversity and Ocean Anomalies – guiding visitors through the connections between marine ecosystems, climate change and human activities. Installations, scientific instruments and educational displays invited visitors to look at the planet from a different perspective, seeing the ocean as a single, interconnected global system. 

MEDSEA's contribution: 16 university students introduce younger generations to the ocean 

MEDSEA Foundation contributed as a local technical partner to the organisation of the Cagliari event, supporting the involvement of schools and 16 student volunteers from the Department of Life and Environmental Sciences (DiSVA) at the University of Cagliari, thanks to the collaboration with Professor Alessandro Cau. 

For the university students, it was a particularly meaningful opportunity: for the first time, they engaged directly with an audience of children and school students, taking on the challenge of explaining the oceans, marine biodiversity and climate change. 

This hands-on science communication experience encouraged them to translate complex scientific concepts into simple, accessible and engaging language, helping younger generations develop a deeper understanding of the ocean. 

The initiative reflects MEDSEA's commitment to building connections between research, education and communities, while highlighting the role of young people in sharing scientific knowledge and raising environmental awareness. 

A dialogue between science, institutions and local communities 

The opening of the Ocean&Climate Village also provided an opportunity for dialogue between institutions, the scientific community and organisations working to protect marine ecosystems. 

The event was officially opened by Giulia Andreozzi and Luisa Giua Marassi, Cagliari's Councillors for Public Education and the Environment, who welcomed the initiative on behalf of the city and reaffirmed the municipality's commitment to ocean education through community clean-up activities involving local residents and educational initiatives with the city's schools. 

The opening conference, moderated by Valentina Gottlieb, Goodwill Ambassador for SEA BEYOND, highlighted the importance of ocean education as a way to engage communities with environmental challenges and strengthen the connection between scientific knowledge and collective responsibility. 

Among the speakers were Francesca Frau, President of MEDSEA Foundation; Francesca Santoro, oceanographer and Head of Ocean Literacy activities at UNESCO's Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC); and Max Sirena, Team Director and Skipper of Luna Rossa. 

The first edition of the Ocean&Climate Village in Cagliari offered an opportunity to bring ocean knowledge beyond the scientific community, making it accessible to a wider audience, particularly younger generations. 

MEDSEA Foundation extends its thanks to UNESCO, Prada Group, the institutions, Professor Alessandro Cau, the student volunteers and all the organisations involved for helping bring this initiative to Cagliari, planting a seed for greater public understanding of the ocean and the importance of protecting it. 

Because understanding the ocean also means recognising how deeply our future depends on its health.