Brazil is the first country in the world recognized by UNESCO to commit to including Ocean Literacy in its national curriculum (“Blue Curriculum”), integrated into schools across the nation and adapted to regional and local contexts.
This action responds to the recommendation of the Director-General of UNESCO for all Member States to begin incorporating Ocean Literacy into school curricula by 2025. In Brazil, this initiative results from collaboration among the Ministry of Education (MEC), the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI), along with UNESCO and its Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (UNESCO-IOC), federal universities, local governments and school networks, establishing a global milestone in environmental, scientific and civic education.
Ocean Literacy promotes an integrated understanding of the ocean, recognizing it as a climate regulator, an essential source of life and a catalyst for sustainable solutions to eradicate poverty, promote health, technological innovation, culture, economy and environmental justice.
World’s First Blue Curriculum
As part of the national efforts to consolidate the Blue Curriculum, Brasília last month hosted the “International Blue Curriculum Forum: International Experiences in Education and Ocean Literacy for Climate Resilience.”
The event, preceded by preparatory meetings on April 8, featured high-level discussions with Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Luciana Santos along with other ministers, federal government authorities and representatives from state governments leading the implementation of Ocean Literacy and Blue Curriculum actions.
According to UNESCO:
“The official launch of the Blue Curriculum reinforces the crucial role of education in fostering planetary citizenship, grounded in science and social engagement, placing Brazil at the forefront of preparations for the Climate Conference (COP30), to be held in Belém, Pará. It also demonstrates Brazil’s commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals and the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021–2030).”
Major milestones already achieved by Brazil in Ocean Literacy include:
- Inclusion of Ocean Literacy in school curricula in 20 municipalities and 4 states (São Paulo, Pernambuco, Ceará, and Pará);
- Organization of Regional Blue Curriculum Forums with broad national participation;
- Engagement of more than 100,000 students through the Blue School Program;
- Active participation of 350 scholarship students and 30 teachers in science clubs and youth leadership projects;
- International leadership through the Brazilian Ocean Olympiad (>62,000 students across Brazil), which became international in 2024, involving more than 15 countries.
During the Forum, the MCTI and the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES), part of the MEC, announced major national initiatives related to the Blue Curriculum, totaling investments of over R$5 million/~US$900,000/~€790,830.
The event marked the official launch of the 2025 National Science and Technology Week, which centered on Ocean Literacy, encouraging dialogue among schools, universities and civil society on innovation, sustainability and ocean conservation.
CAPES/MEC presented a specialized training in “Ocean Literacy for Sustainable Development,” reaching more than 1,000 Brazilian teachers, conducted by a national network of seven federal universities located in Brazil’s coastal regions.
Calls for the 2nd International Ocean Olympiad and the 5th Brazilian Ocean Olympiad were also announced, aiming to expand student engagement nationally and internationally in activities promoting awareness and education on ocean, climate and socio-environmental issues. The 2024 edition of the Brazilian Olympiad recorded over 62,000 student participants nationwide.
Finally, highlighting the country’s commitment to gender equity in science, the creation of 10 Ocean Literacy Clubs exclusively for girls was launched — an innovative initiative with R$1 million/~$175,090/~€153,878 in funding to strengthen female participation in ocean sciences and youth leadership in sustainability and conservation efforts.
