Environmental and Ocean Literacy in the Black Sea Basin

UN SDG 4.7 points to the transformative power of education when it supports sustainable development agendas, and calls on decision-makers to ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to support sustainable lifestyles. However, formal and non-formal education systems in Türkiye, Bulgaria and Greece have been inadequate in delivering such education, and adults are particularly left behind although they have a greater impact on the environment. The overall objective of the project is to increase environmental and ocean literacy and green competences among young adults in cities coastal to the Black Sea in Türkiye, Bulgaria and Greece in order to contribute to the conservation of nature and biodiversity in the Black Sea Basin. The project will empower young adults via 30 dissemination trainings, and an awareness raising video. An education programme and a trainers' manual will be designed and two training of trainers will be organized for CSO and local government representatives to strengthen their education capacity. Nine dissemination trainings will be organized as a pilot action for local governments. An international workshop will be organized and a white paper will be written for local CSOs and local governments to strengthen their environmental education policy-making capacities. The scope of environmental issues necessitates transnational cooperation and harmonization in the field of environmental education as acknowledged by international and regional instruments such as SDGs and the GreenComp. Environmental education should also foster an understanding of the interconnection among communities and be shaped by a global citizenship approach, which makes regional collaboration necessary. Transnational approach is needed to develop common solutions in line with international/regional standards, build capacity and foster implementation of effective and aligned policies and practices in all three countries.

In the first reporting period of the project, the initial task carried out by all partners (Yuva Association, Green Balkans, and HSPN) was the establishment of the project teams. After the project teams were formed, each team participated in the project implementation training, either online or in person, organized in their respective countries by the Joint Secretariat. Additionally, in order to ensure the smooth implementation of the project, it was decided to hold regular online meetings among the partners. Yuva Association prepared a regular online meeting schedule with the project partners and took on the coordination of these meetings. As part of this project's activities for the current period, four online workshops were planned. The first of these was organized under the coordination of Yuva Association with the support of the project partners. The other three workshops were conducted by each partner in their respective native languages. Yuva Association and all partners took responsibility for coordinating these workshops, ensuring they were completed in full and on schedule, as outlined in the project timeline. Representatives from civil society organizations, local government authorities, activists, university academics, students, and teachers from Türkiye, Bulgaria, and Greece participated in these online sessions. These workshops provided a platform for conducting an educational needs analysis for the environmental and ocean literacy education program to be developed as part of the project and for gathering feedback from field experts and the target audience on the subject. During the online workshops, the collaboration of the three organizations enabled each institution to invite different organizations and individuals from their respective networks. This allowed the workshops to reach individuals and organizations that would not normally have been accessible by the institutions alone, making it possible to gather feedback from a broader audience. At this point, the cooperation of the three organizations strengthened the impact of the workshops and ensured a more solid foundation for the educational program. In order to facilitate in-person collaboration and ensure the effective implementation of the project, Yuva Association hosted the Kick-Off meeting in Edirne on November 18-19, 2024. The meeting focused on discussing both short-term and long-term strategies for the project's activities. Plans were made for two upcoming Training of Trainers (ToT) programs, the project budget was reviewed, and budget allocations for specific activities were finalized. Another activity carried out during the first reporting period of the project was the design of an environmental and ocean literacy education program targeting the Black Sea Basin. In this process, a draft education program was initially prepared by the Yuva Association team, and this draft was presented to the partners during the Kick-Off meeting held in Edirne. Based on the feedback and suggestions received from the partners, the program was updated and finalized. Throughout this process, the collaboration of the three different organizations contributed to a more comprehensive education program. Each partner organization in the project has expertise and strengths in different areas. For example, Yuva Association specializes in adult education, while Green Balkans holds significant expertise in the issues related to the Black Sea. Therefore, collaborating on the design of an educational program specifically tailored to the Black Sea allowed the organizations to combine their strengths, contributing to the creation of a better education program. One of the main activities carried out during the first period of the project was related to visibility efforts. A project-specific logo, letterhead, and presentation template were created by Yuva Association’s Communication Officer and shared with the project partners. Additionally, during this period, project promotion efforts were undertaken at both national and international levels, with relevant information disseminated through the project partners' websites and social media channels. During second reporting period, YUVA (LP) ensured that project activities were implemented fully and on time, as outlined in the project schedule. In this period, each partner prepared and submitted their individual reports to JEMS. After certification, Yuva Association (YUVA), as lead partner, compiled the first joint project report. The first Training of Trainers (TOT) was organized by HSPN (PP2) in Greece on 10–14 March 2025. All partners participated in its preparation, in line with decisions made during regular meetings. The TOT was carried out collaboratively. Participants included 8 from Turkey, 7 from Greece, and 6 from Bulgaria. Of these, 5 CSO staff from Turkey, 5 from Greece (in addition to one from the university), and 2 from Bulgaria attended, alongside 3 public authority staff from Turkey, 1 from Greece, and 4 from Bulgaria. Planning for the second TOT in Bulgaria (26–29 May 2025) took place during this period. The final participant numbers were set as 8 from Turkey, 9 from Greece, and 14 from Bulgaria. Selections were made with attention to representation from both CSOs and local authorities, and to gender balance. The environmental and ocean literacy education program, focusing on the Black Sea Basin, was initially developed by Yuva Association in the first reporting period. In the second period, it was enriched with additional content and materials for implementation in the TOTs. The program was first delivered during the TOT in Greece, as a pilot implementation with all sessions completed and positive feedback received. Following the first TOT, the “Environmental and Ocean Literacy in the Black Sea Basin” education manual was developed based on the experience gained. Yuva, HSPN, and Green Balkans held several meetings to design the manual. Yuva drafted the structure and core content, and all partners contributed to developing the sessions. The collaboration of the three partners each bringing a unique expertise, strengthened the final program by combining their knowledge in adult education and Black Sea issues. The final English version was translated into Turkish, Bulgarian, and Greek, and HSPN handled the design of all four versions, incorporating partner feedback. Dissemination trainings were planned across the three countries. Materials were developed in Turkish, Bulgarian, and Greek. After the first TOT, Green Balkans conducted 3 trainings reaching 70 young adults. Yuva scheduled trainings in April 2025. However, the April session was postponed due to the earthquake in İstanbul to the third period. HSPN will begin its dissemination trainings in the third period as well, following the second TOT. Another main activity carried out during the second period of the project was related to visibility efforts. A project-specific A3 poster was created by all partners and shared with general public in a visible area in project offices. Additionally, during this period, project promotion efforts were undertaken with relevant information disseminated through the project partners' websites and social media channels. The third reporting period proved to be a productive phase for our project, implemented in partnership between "Green Balkans," "HSPN," and "Yuva Association," demonstrating the strength of our cooperation and its concrete outputs. Working synergistically as organizations with different areas of expertise and geographical reach, we successfully carried out the planned project activities according to our project schedule. A key achievement was the second International Training of Trainers (ToT) event held in Burgas, Bulgaria. This event brought together participants representing public institutions, local authorities, and NGOs from Greece, Bulgaria, and Turkey. The training featured a comprehensive curriculum covering not only technical topics like "Ocean Literacy" and "Conflict Management" but also effective communication and training skills. It was attended by a total of 29 participants and 8 organizers from the three partnering countries. The jointly developed Educational Manual, published in four languages, was distributed to all participants as a lasting product of this collaboration. Trained with this knowledge, these new trainers, supported by the partner organizations, went on to organize dissemination trainings in their respective countries: Yuva Association (Turkey): Reached 64 participants through trainings for young adults and local institutions in Tekirdağ and Istanbul. HSPN (Greece): Reached 33 people through trainings held in Thessaloniki. Green Balkans (Bulgaria): Reached 201 young adults through nine trainings held in Burgas, Stara Zagora, Tsarevo, Ahtopol, and Varna, and provided training to 21 institutional representatives. To date, a total of 256 young adults and 63 local institution representatives across the three countries have directly benefited from the project's trainings. A powerful social media campaign was conducted to raise awareness among wider audiences about the common challenges and opportunities facing the Black Sea. A professional promotional video was produced, enriched with footage provided by the partners. The video was prepared with subtitles/dubbing in English, Turkish, Greek, and Bulgarian. The campaign reached a total of over 94,000 people across the three countries. The videos garnered over 58,000 views and thousands of likes and shares. While dissemination trainings continued, preparations for the international workshop and the whitepaper process also progressed through ongoing partnership meetings. The technical and financial management of the project progressed smoothly. All partners actively contributed to the timely preparation and submission of the project report. Regular communication and coordinated work ensured the project advanced on schedule and in line with its objectives.