Programa Atlantis - Underwater Ecological Education Program
Atlantis is an Ocean Literacy Program led by Ocean and Flow that invites students to dive into an aquatic experience and personal journey, aiming to awaken and root environmental responsibility and promote ocean protection at local level. Programa Atlantis combines dreaming, creativity, ocean knowledge and active engagement within local communities to create a replicable and scalable network of active citizens and ocean guardians.
Local
Portugal
Sesimbra, Portugal
It addresses urban-rural linkages
It refers to other types of transformations (soft investment)
No
No
Yes
As a representative of an organisation
Name of the organisation(s): Oceans and Flow Type of organisation: For-profit company First name of representative: Violeta Last name of representative: Lapa Gender: Female Nationality: Portugal Function: Manager Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: Rua João de Melo Abreu 26 Town: Ponta Delgada Postal code: 9504-530 Country: Portugal Direct Tel:+351912605878 E-mail:violetalapa@oceansandflow.com Website:https://programa-atlantis.com/home
Programa Atlantis-PA emerges as a response to the lack of relation between communities, ocean abundance and the need to act urgently to mitigate biodiversity loss. Also, to fulfill the general public lack of information about the ocean's important role on biodiversity maintenance, carbon sink or oxygen production, or its underwater beauty and ability to reconnect each one to its ancestral being. We believe that one needs to Know to be able to Connect and therefore to Protect.
PA is an underwater ecological education program that promotes Ocean Literacy from the combination of freediving with ecological education and human development. Through this method, PA intends to awake and root the environmental responsibility for the local natural values conservation, promote a greater understanding of interdependence and a culture of wellbeing and resilience to the integration of human life with the environment. The 1st edition took place in Sesimbra (PT), a fishing village with a strong ancestral maritime culture, integrated in Luiz Saldanha Marine Park. PA promotes students' understanding and passion with the ocean and inspires lasting behavior change through this connection. The practice of freediving, as the main tool of involvement, allows them to create physical and emotional connections with the aquatic environment. Atlantis also integrated several activities open to the community. Through the 15 sessions, 60 partners were involved and approximately 1000 participants. PA comprises 7 Freediving Sessions, 1 'Ocean Talks' (with 6 speakers and 3 local EcoActions), 2 Marine Biology sessions, 1 Algae Workshop, 1 Photo exhibition with guided visits, and a 56 min educational and inspiring documentary production. This film features Atlantis' impact, and has been distinguished in environmental film festivals.
During 2023, it will be available online as an important tool to bring the message to more people.
Programa Atlantis - Trailer www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbMcrgXMCTo
Ocean Literacy
Creative Education
Human and social development
Community engagement
Regeneration
Sustainability was an important pillar of Programa Atlantis design, present throughout all stages, from its ideation to implementation, as part of the project's value proposition, not just as a tool for ocean literacy and conservation but also as a goal in the methodology implementation impact.
Develop impactful and replicable educational contents on ocean literacy promoting more sustainable relations with the ocean, that will impact children and its community through life and therefore empower results in the long term. Kickstarted as a pilot in Sesimbra, Atlantis can be easily scaled nationally & internationally, opening a window for designing new educational models, especially for coastal communities, using crucial tools for environmental education, civic engagement and positive impact, on active ocean literacy, protection, sustainability and furthermore on its regeneration. Through stakeholders network activation, Atlantis promoted local circular economy, zero waste movement, sustainable marine tourism, conscious consumption and sustainable food, among others, on a transversal sustainable approach.
P Atlantis as a best practice methodology on ocean sustainability and regenerative impact. Once envisioning an increasingly efficient Program continuation, data collection was used for further analysis in an ecological footprint study, using a Methodology of Climate Change Panel (IPCC), where emissions directly associated with Energy, Mobility and Transport, Water were mapped and calculated. In addition, strategies were implemented to mitigate the environmental impact in order to achieve greater efficiency in the use of resources: Local resources and sharing services have been prioritized; Plant-based and local food; avoiding disposable materials. The main objective in communication was the promotion of sustainable practices and materials, integrating this commitment in the strategy, prioritizing a strong online aspect with less use of disposable resources.
1. Program Eco design and Kits: A great team of professionals was gathered from different expertises, to develop an authentic and unique program, with a strong identity that manifested itself in different dimensions - Beauty, Empathy, Co-creation, Innovation and Community. Atlantis used Ecological Kits to communicate good practices with high quality gear and made for lasting.
2. Learning through ecological immersion, positive emotions and sensory impact: The activity spots were carefully chosen regarding meaning to the region and the conditions offered, namely the local theater, beaches with abundant marine life and other emblematic places. Freediving is self-knowledge activity that uses sensitive methodologies and immersive experience appealing to connection to natural values, interdependence, shared responsibility in their care.
3. Empower Communities through active citizenship: The choice of Sesimbra to host Programa Atlantis was strategic and an opportunity: a fishing village where the population are intrinsically connected to the sea for generations, contributing to culture and local traditions. In Sesimbra, an important shelter for marine biodiversity, PA brought to the community a new vision of the ocean and the importance of preserving it, rather than seeing it only as an economic resource.
4. Aesthetics communication: PA was designed in detail to provide an experience with significant and striking sensory and beauty impact to all participants on better ecological practices. The activities subtly linked with each other, strengthening trust, learning and connecting to purpose. Every detail counts from production to communication, in order to make it very positive and impactful, creating lasting memories and profound transformations. Atlantis has a strong and transversal strategic communication, both on social media and in videos being produced to raise awareness on marine value conservation and regeneration.
Promote new participatory, adaptive and immersive education models.
Believing that Ocean Education should be accessible to all, Atlantis activities were free of charge. Based on Deep Ecology principles, is an educational model that promotes a paradigm shift in the current society model, seeking a new global narrative with the power of ‘localization’ providing community initiatives, and reconnect people with nature as the key strategy to a deeper ecological understanding of living systems and for restoring ecological, social and spiritual wellbeing. A balance between immersive education and community life, aiming to show a new way of development to new generations, so that they can prosper through shared creation and regeneration, instead of simply surviving in a world of competitive scarcity. It’s also a model of education that stimulates the ability to respect other perspectives and knowledge, and develops more solidarity and cooperation.
Create local ocean protection networks driven by communities to impact ocean regeneration in the long term.
Inviting specialists in social innovation, scientists with innovative solutions for restoring the ocean, activists and artists as facilitators, Atlantis inspired people to build a system that respects the ecosystem limits and the functions incorporating Nature’s intrinsic value in life. Likewise, the involvement of the community and awakening of a collective dream deepened the sense of belonging and collective, creating an inclusive culture. Atlantis is open to all ages, cultures, genders, religions, experience levels or socio-economic conditions. Students personal autonomy was respected and strategies were adapted with the same objective. The language used was simple, intuitive and inclusive, using a narrative that makes no distinction of gender. The film is subtitled in Portuguese and English, for greater accessibility of people with hearing impairments.
In order to engage civil society and strengthen Program impact, a set of free actions were carried out under the theme of ocean protection, namely: (1) Ocean Talks with speakers sharing their experience and knowledge. 300 people attended in loco or via live streaming; (2) 3 Eco Actions (beach cleanup) were carried out, gathering the community for action, raising awareness on trash collected from the beach and how to prevent it; (3) ‘Programa Atlantis’ Film Screening held in Sesimbra, with students sharing their experience and learnings within the Program and from the sea; (4) Open-air Photography exhibition at Sesimbra main street for 6 months. A storytelling initiative about the Program and ecological education content; (5) Media communication campaign reached 10% of the Portuguese population, according to the communication report. Atlantis attended several television channels, published articles in magazines and digital platforms, as National Geographic, reaching an extended audience, taking the ocean regeneration to the mainstream; (6) Social Media were relevant to involve and invite people and bring ocean reflections to discussion; (7) Film tour: Programa Atlantis film was part of a tour that included several locations from north to south of the country, holding free presentation film sessions with conversations and educational activities, involving the local communities and blue economy stakeholders. (8) Atlantis Ambassadors: 4 specialists in ocean related areas and sustainability with recognized work at national level and with great visibility. While representatives they supported the dissemination allowing to reach a greater number of people, sharing knowledge with students and community. Atlantis is a wave of regenerative change that spawned. It endures and continues, since the film is being used as a tool, to develop conversation circles and screenings, and it's also a ‘hub’ to inspire new ideas and other projects to arise connecting stakeholders.
Atlantis counted with a wide diversity of stakeholders bringing together relevant inputs, interests and relations with local resources and organizations that were engaged to collaborate in the design, development and implementation of a new local, plural and integrated educational form. They became the vehicle and a powerful tool for developing integrated and participatory community approaches. Approximately 60 partners were directly involved throughout Atlantis development, from design to implementation creating a network around Ocean Literacy and protection. 1st edition counted with an EEA Grants fund, recognizing at European level Atlantis as a powerful tool to ecological transition and just and sustainable cities. At the local and regional level, several partners were involved in the development of the activities, and a stakeholder ecosystem was created around the Programa: (1) The Blue School network, a platform of 200 schools in Portugal and abroad, focused on the ocean theme in school context, helped to engage with school communities; (2) Sesimbra Municipality that made spaces available for activities, financed the open-air photo exhibition and supported the communication in their own channels, involving the local community; (3)Cine Teatro de Sesimbra provided a multi-use room for PA initiatives, supported logistical and the communication too; (4)Environmental NGO - Oceans Alive, Zero Waste Lab, Route Portugal; (5)Educational directors, Teachers and Families; At National level (6) 4 ambassadors specialized in ecological education were mobilized; (7) Artist activists; (8) 3 photographers and 2 videographers documenting the activities.
The Social and environmental evaluation was carried out by a partner that analyzed the impact of the program, of the participants and the ecological footprint, resulting in a report useful as a future guideline. several interviews and articles were published in reference channels.
Education Ecological Model - immersive experience Ocean:
One of the main characteristic of Programa Atlantis is the knowledge crossing and expertise. Its great innovation was to bring the teaching of ecological education and human development to the ocean, through the combination of the practice of Freediving with other fields, creating synergies that enhanced the assimilation of knowledge and the impact of experiences. The principles of deep ecology were at the basis of the design of the Program and unlike the common ecology practiced in formal education, which is centered on the human being and places the earth's natural resources under man domination, deep ecology advocates living integrated and in harmony with nature and understands that natural resources are limited. The practice of freediving was essential to put deep ecology into practice, crossing with marine biology through direct observation of the ecosystem, allowing the integration of students in the ocean and interaction with marine animals. It is an immersive practice that develops new physical and sensory capabilities, while working on self-knowledge through overcoming challenges, knowing the importance of conscious breathing and exploring movement in water.
Communities of practice - opportunity to deep knowledge about the Ocean:
Through freediving it was possible to observe seaweeds and then to hold the algae workshop, conducted by a marine biologist in partnership with an ayurveda chef, showing the ecological value of algae but also their integration into food and nutritional value. Many communities of practice were involved in Atlantis implementation to promote an opportunity to transfer knowledge between all educators, speakers, students, families and stakeholders in general. Atlantis was the cellular innovation, joining diverse players like environmental educators, scientists, experts on social innovation, athletes, activists, artists and chefs, promoting knowledge transfer between them.
The innovative character of the project is the approach of educational and immersive experiences in nature combined with practices that activate, simultaneously, through different human dimensions such as physical, intellectual, sensorial, connecting them and crossing knowledge. All this in a tailor-made proposal for the place of implementation, taking into account its cultural and geographical context, and in which the community also participates. Atlantis was specially designed for its target audience.
The number of participants with access to Programa Atlantis is smaller than a project with a larger digital reach but its impact is greater and deeper.
Education activities are developed out of the classroom, in the outdoors, going into nature and breaking down barriers between different disciplines, crossing them and integrating into a single educational proposal.
The combination of freediving with ecological education and human development tools is innovative, since it’s a practice that brings people closer to the sea in a simple and safe way, showing that we can have an aquatic experience at sea, just using breathing and a diving mask. In addition to studying and knowing, the practice integrates human beings into the ocean.
Freediving is still not widespread despite being the most natural way to dive as mammals, and that is a powerful tool.Deep ecology is a field of study still not mainstream, and the Programa Atlantis is taking it into practice, combining it with scientific, artistic and physiological knowledge, allowing participants and community to have contact with these concepts for the first time, and having a contemplative approach to the ocean.
Programa Atlantis promotes the awareness that common environments are an extension of our home, innovating in the concept of belonging to the wild world and restoring that connection to nature. Program Atlantis focuses on regeneration taking sustainability to a higher level.
Atlantis 1st edition was a chance to test, and its successful results were important to evaluate and improve methodology for next steps. The know-how gained in Sesimbra can now be scaled up to a wider network of Atlantis mission since it will be grass-rooted in local resources, stakeholders and a diverse multiplicity of partners, bringing coherence to Ocean and Flow proposal.
The Program is easily adaptable to other schools and ages, regions, countries and other learning communities, on the ocean. The model for replication focus to reach younger people in schools, through a proposal of 1 month of activities for each group, always with involvement of the local community, and centralizing only on 3 main activities of the methodology: Freediving, Oasis Game and Ecological Education Sessions, combining in-depth educational content, such as biology, visits to different marine environments, with apnea diving and application of different social and personal techniques. The replicable common ground in any contexts is based on community involvement in a common project and a collective dream at local level.
The ecological footprint calculator developed for impact measurement is a universal tool that can be transferred and used as an important argument for local awareness, governance and communication.
Atlantis scalability and transfer to new contexts also opens up blue and green economic opportunities, as demonstrated in this pilot through the involvement of marine biologists, environmental educators, freedivers, aquatic photographers and local coordinators empowering coastal areas in an innovative way.
Tools like awareness products, conscious consumption and regenerative actions can be included, sold and shared, such as the Oceano Kit and the support materials that were offered to students during the Atlantis Program.
The use of Dragon Dreaming tools to experiment, implement and celebrate each edition, is a good practice to reply no matter the context and location.
Programa Atlantis proposes a methodology for ocean conservation through transformative experiences for youth, believing that youth who spend time in nature experience healthy emotional development and become more aware to take care. Therefore, Atlantis methodology is based on 4 steps: 1. Create awareness of the connection between humans and nature. 2. Foster attitudes of gratitude and concern for the environment. 3. Create knowledge on natural systems and processes and 4. Nurture problem solving and critical thinking skills. For that, Atlantis established a partnership with a local school to implement Freediving Sessions with students, an educational program to promote personal development, active citizenship and work the collective dream, and develop Marine Biology Literacy sessions. Also, to build a local stakeholders network with NGOS, local authorities, marine players and community members. A strong communication strategy was focused on ocean aesthetics, wellbeing and emotional related including video productions, Ocean Talks, and photographic exhibitions
Promote EcoActions and Algae Workshops with local and regional community disseminating impacts at national level and promoting best practices adoption in the long term. Programa Atlantis methodology also has strong community-minded character, believing that being involved in community activities and serving others, young people develop a sense of the importance of giving back, and how they can contribute to the community positively and how to solve societal issues in a proactive way. Atlantis Program proposes the focus on personal development, the collective dream and the prevailing of the most regenerative actions.
Our planet depends on ocean vitality to support and sustain it. But our ocean faces global challenges like global climate change, pollution, habitat depletion, biodiversity loss and a dramatic decrease in ocean fish stocks. Even though many local communities have a strong relation with the ocean, it is frequently based on fishery stock for economic return. On other hand, parallel to natural depletion is clear the increasing social and mental problems, the struggling to fit on a constantly moving world, and the deeper disconnection between nature values, biorhythms and their abundance, with urban communities and supposed needs of consumption, self-satisfaction, diseases prevention, complex food, etc, that clearly break the valuable chain of interdependence between humans and nature that sustain our complex ecosystems.
At local level Atlantis invites students to dive into an aquatic experience and personal journey, aiming to awaken and root environmental responsibility and promote ocean protection at local level. Acting and learning locally to impact globally. The local solutions are related to working soft skills such as listening, trust, authentic communication, emotional intelligence and the feeling of agent of action (activist) in a rapidly changing world. Tools like 'Nature Intelligence' and Work That Reconnects, Active Hope, Dragon Dreaming and interactive processes that help people to bring the totality of their humanity to the social and ecological challenges are the Atlantis proposal to action.
By addressing this issue, we have been able to start creating new narratives about the world and changing the course of global history. In this context, Programa Atlantis promotes the feeling of belonging to humanity in nature and the awareness of the interdependence of all beings, setting the tone for new knowledge acquisition about the ocean, understanding its relevance and presenting and promoting transformative actions not only sustainable but regenerative.
From March - August 2021 Atlantis was cocreated with a 8th grade class in a public school in Sesimbra. Several enriching and awareness activities combining science, sports, educational and human development knowledge were activated: Freedive, approaching youth to ocean and inspiring to take action on a sustainable lifestyle; Collective Dream; Mentorship on a class project focused on ocean protection and self-development; Study visits to sea prairies with local NGO; Ocean Talks, free public event to share informal ocean experiences; Eco Actions, beach and seabed cleaning lead with local agents.
As main results we refer higher awareness level among students and very high quality media outputs that reached impact beyond initial goals: 1 Pilot School: 22 students and 8 teachers involved; 40 partners, including 150 experts (+ 12 areas of expertise: Marine Biology, Entrepreneurship and Social Innovation, underwater photography, Video, Design, Communication, Freediving, Environmental Education, Food and Sports; 50 media channels and 80 social networks reached; 378 people impacted by awareness-raising content; 6690 (and increasing) followers on project's social media; 2 Assessment studies: social and environmental impact; 10 Atlantis film Screenings and presence in 3 Environmental Cinema Festivas; More than 1000 visitors to the exhibition in Sesimbra. These results reveal the impact of the Program that keeps receiving invitations for ocean lecture and Oasis Game.
Atlantis Mission 22/23 is an opportunity to replicate and keep community ocean engagement and innovative education, doing an Atlantis movie tour, with educational actions. The vision is to maintain the Atlantis Program in Sesimbra, involving more schools applying Atlantis methodology within regular curricula. With the local authorities network, we share the dream to implement a scientific, educational, aesthetic and regenerative underwater garden, aiming to empower regenerative local tourism - Sea Garden.
Programa Atlantis provides all learners and teachers with opportunities to learn about the climate crisis and sustainability, integrating those themes in formal education in school and through collective actions in community. Taking students out of the classroom to learn about the ocean by feeling it and observing, it promotes a new and innovative model of experiential learning.
Through activities and events, crossing different fields of knowledge, such as Oceans Talks, Algae Workshop, Marine Biology sessions, Oasis Game and EcoAction, PA promotes ecological education and critical thinking aiming to embodying and defend sustainability and natural values.
Freediving and Oasis Game helps to develop new skills and to empower natural capabilities of students, teachers, partners and participants, aiming to foster attitudes for a greener and more sustainable economy and society. Through practices such as freediving with breathwork exercises that reintegrate people back into nature, PA helps deal with eco-anxiety among students,allowing them to explore it as a grounding and balance tool over life.
Atlantis represents a culture of beauty, sensitivity, awareness and knowledge through education that should be available to all without exception, as a means to societal green transformation and a more just and regenerative global ecosystem.
Considering the actual planetary challenges and human needs, Atlantis drives an impact opportunity to inspire new education paradigms and influence local citizenship, transforming the mass movement of exploitation, individual by individual, through a new paradigm of education and deep relation with natural values.
Oceans and Flow believes that beauty and nature are the more effective forms of emotional relation and therefore the most efficient tool to work knowledge acquisition and sustained transformation in the long term. Programa Atlantis is an aquatic movement that inspires and holds space to breath.
