Ocean Cities Network: Amplifying Local Voices and Fostering a Stronger Connection Between Coastal Communities and the Ocean

The poster presents the Ocean Cities Network (OC-NET) program and its main event, Ocean Cities Month, an annual celebration launched in 2021 that takes place in various cities across the OC-NET network around the world and engages thousands of people each year. This event promotes connection and respect between coastal cities and the ocean. OC-NET encourages residents of these cities to recognize the crucial role the ocean plays in their lives, fostering a regenerative relationship that ranges from local activities to global collaboration networks.

Ocean Cities Month serves as a platform for awareness and engagement, organized across three key areas: Citizen Science and Participation Campaigns, where citizens directly engage in protecting marine ecosystems, actively participating in ocean conservation, and acting as change agents within their communities. The second area focuses on exhibitions and performances designed to raise public awareness of the challenges facing the ocean. Through these activities, an emotional connection and understanding of the importance of caring for and preserving the ocean are fostered, bringing this environmental issue to a broader audience. The third area includes public communication campaigns and discussion forums, where OC-NET brings together citizens, experts, and political leaders to discuss coastal and marine challenges and develop collaborative and innovative solutions for sustainability that benefit both cities and marine ecosystems.

OC-NET embraces the diversity of each coastal city as an essential part of its approach, recognizing that each community has a unique relationship with the ocean, shaped by its history and social, economic, and political context. Using participatory methods, OC-NET incorporates local voices to tailor Ocean Cities Month activities to the specific needs and strengths of each region, encouraging reflection on the connection between cities and the sea.

Through research that combines natural and social sciences, OC-NET addresses the interdependence between human health and ocean health, underscoring the importance of effective ocean governance and sustainable marine resource management—vital for the quality of life, food security, and livelihoods of coastal communities. With active community involvement, the program promotes education and awareness about the importance of these ecosystems, fostering a global community that recognizes the ocean as a fundamental axis for its well-being and development.