As young people who have lived near the sea our entire lives, we are deeply connected to the ocean and feel a strong responsibility to address the challenging issues facing marine environments and climate change. Marine ecosystems are deteriorating, and the rich diversity of sea life is under serious threat. Coral reefs are dying, pollution is overwhelming the oceans, sea levels are rising, and ocean acidification is accelerating. Additionally, overfishing is causing biodiversity loss, disrupting the delicate balance of marine food webs. Through this project, we aim to confront these challenges and advocate for the protection and restoration of our oceans. We want to highlight the importance of marine ecosystems such as Mediterranean marine ecosystems, particularly seagrass meadows, coastal wetlands, and the open ocean, and their essential roles in the global ecosystem. These habitats are crucial for supporting marine biodiversity, protecting coastlines, and acting as carbon sinks. Seagrass meadows such as Posidonia oceanica—a unique species found only in the Mediterranean—are especially vital for maintaining the health of marine life and ecosystems. We want to fight ocean pollution (plastic, chemicals, noise, light etc) and know more about climate change (rising sea levels, ocean acidification, coral bleaching) and biodiversity loss (overfishing, marine food webs). At the same time, our colleagues and other youth are not informed about these issues and even if they know they don’t know how to contribute. Through this project, we aim to educate and empower ourselves and other youth to create impactful campaigns that raise awareness and actively support the fight for clean, resilient oceans. The "Blue Youth" project aims to address the important concerns of ocean degradation and climate change, which are endangering marine ecosystems and the livelihoods of millions of people globally. The health of our oceans is critical to life on Earth, yet they are facing enormous challenges due to pollution, overfishing, habitat loss, and climate change. These threats are compounded by a lack of awareness and education among younger generations about the significance of the oceans and the urgent need for conservation and sustainable practices. Blue Youth is dedicated to promoting sustainability among young participants through the following key objectives: - Raise awareness about the importance of oceans and their role in combating climate change. - Promote conservation and sustainable practices that protect marine ecosystems and the planet. - Empower participants to take action by creating a small network of youth activists committed to ocean and climate advocacy. - Encourage RooTerra participants to pursue careers in marine science, conservation, and environmental advocacy, contributing to long-term solutions for ocean health and sustainability. - Engage 37 young people, ensuring that at least 40% of the group are youth with fewer opportunities, including those facing economic, social, cultural, or other obstacles. - Facilitate the development of new skills and competences for these 37 participants through non-formal learning activities such as creative workshops, open discussions, and visits. - Equip participants with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to become climate activists in their everyday lives and communities. - Encourage the formation of 6 small groups of participants to create mini-workshops, role-playing sessions, or other creative presentations promoting ocean protection. - Foster knowledge exchange among the 6 partner organizations in the areas of sustainable and blue economy. - Ensure the creation of at least 6 videos to disseminate the results and key messages of the project. - Promote the results of the Youth Exchange to stakeholders and local communities. After the exchange, participants will share the videos they created with their families, friends, and wider communities, raising further awareness about ocean protection and sustainability.