- The students have presented the project to representatives of the European Commission, the Directorate General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DG MADRE), NGOs in the sector and around sixty international exhibitors
The IES Calvià, IES Son Ferrer and IES Bendinat high schools have actively participated in the European Maritime Day 2025 (EMD2025), held in Cork, Ireland, from 21st to 23rd May, where they had the opportunity to present the joint project Calvianers Sostenibles to the European community.
The participation has been promoted and coordinated by Xarxa Balear d’Escoles Blaves, which has played a key role in both, the preparation of the trip, and in the management of the stand, the organisation of educational activities and the accompaniment to the centres.
During the event, the students presented the project to representatives of the European Commission, the Directorate General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DG MARE), NGOs from the sector, and around sixty international exhibitors. They were able to explain how they work on sustainability from education through environmental monitoring of beaches, community actions and intergenerational activities, and they exchanged ideas with other European initiatives.
The programme included two outstanding activities:
• A visit to the Irish school Coláiste Daibhéid, with cultural exchange, presentation of STEM projects and discovery of local traditions such as traditional dances.
• An immersive experience at the Titanic Experience Cobh, which allowed for an interactive exploration of the history of the Titanic passengers through recreations and exhibitions.
In addition, the students participated in workshops on renewable marine energy, the role of young people in the future of the ocean and sustainable food, gaining new knowledge that can be integrated into the educational proposals of the next academic year.
Other outstanding activities included:
• Traditional Spanish rowing from Cantabria with Navigatio, on the River Lee.
• A visit to a Spanish galleon and the patrol boat 'Ocean Protector', of the European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA).
• Ocean culture workshops facilitated by the Irish marine education network.
The students' assessments left no doubt about the experience's impact: "Everything together was fantastic: the location, the school, EMD Cork 2025, the conference, the opportunity to learn more about how to help our sea and our planet, accompanied by good teachers and very good friends. An experience I will never forget."
The teachers also expressed their enthusiasm: "The best gift as a teacher has been seeing the students' faces full of joy and excitement throughout the days of the trip. They enjoyed a unique experience and learned not only about the blue economy and sustainability, but also about values that last a lifetime."
Another teacher added: "As a teacher, what I enjoyed most was the company of the students and the satisfaction of knowing they were on an unforgettable trip." Everything was 10/10: the city, the conference, the students, the colleagues...
The trip concluded with the official presentation of the Network of European Blue Schools certificates by EMSEA, recognising the educational work of Calvià schools in promoting Ocean Literacy in Europe. This distinction symbolises the effort of the teaching teams, the active involvement of the students, and Calvià's commitment to marine sustainability, citizen science, and international collaboration.
Through experiences like this, Calvià is consolidating its position as an educational benchmark within the European strategy to restore the oceans and waters by 2030, with an active, informed educational community committed to the blue future of the continent.
