Brazil becomes the first country in the world to develop a national school curriculum on Ocean Literacy with UNESCO’s support

On Wednesday, 9 April 2025, Brazil took on an international leadership role by signing a Letter of Intent that formally incorporates Ocean Literacy into the national school curriculum. With this initiative, Brazil becomes the first country recognised by UNESCO to officially become committed to integrating Ocean Literacy into its national curriculum. Known as the "Blue Curriculum", it will be implemented in schools nationwide with adaptations to regional and local contexts.

The initiative aligns with the recommendation of UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay, who has called on all Member States to integrate Ocean Literacy into their educational curricula by 2025. In Brazil, this unprecedented step results from a strategic collaboration between the Ministry of Education (MEC), the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation (MCTI), UNESCO, federal universities, local governments, and school networks - establishing a global benchmark in environmental, scientific, and civic education.

The Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Luciana Santos, and the Deputy Executive Secretary of the Ministry of Education (MEC), Gregório Grisa, signed the Letter of Intent formalising the official commitment.

'The federal launch of the Blue Curriculum by Brazil is an extraordinary achievement and a source of great pride for the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO. Brazil's leadership reflects our mission: to unite governments and the scientific community in building The Ocean We Need for the Future We Want. As we all know, education is the only path to that future,' said Vidar Helgesen, Executive Secretary of UNESCO's Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission and UNESCO Assistant Director-General, in a video message presented during the signing ceremony.

In a global context marked by the growing impacts of climate change - extreme rainfall, heatwaves, coastal erosion, and socio-economic and public health challenges - this measure reinforces the crucial role of education in building planetary citizenship grounded in science and social engagement. It also demonstrates Brazil's commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030).

This is an extremely significant day for the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO - a source of immense pride and, above all, deep gratitude to Brazil, which has shown remarkable leadership in this field and will undoubtedly serve as an example for other countries and communities. Ocean Literacy must be implemented across all government levels, beginning with cities. Once again, Brazil has led the way, as seen with the adoption of the first municipal law on Ocean Literacy in Santos in 2021 - an initiative that has inspired many other cities. Today, this milestone is being adopted by several Brazilian states, and we are now witnessing the beginning of a process to implement it at the federal level.

Ocean Literacy promotes an integrated vision of the ocean, recognizing it as a climate regulator, an essential source of life, and a driver of sustainable solutions for ending poverty and promoting health, culture, economy, technological innovation, and environmental justice.

'This moment symbolises Brazil's leadership in a global movement towards a renewed relationship with the ocean and the planet. It reflects the conviction that education is the most effective path to inspire new generations and shift mindsets because sustainable development is only possible with ocean awareness, climate justice, and the valuing of all forms of knowledge. The launch of Brazil's commitment to the Blue Curriculum is, therefore, an invitation for all society to engage in this collective effort. For a healthy ocean and a fairer, more inclusive, and sustainable future,' said Minister Luciana Santos.

The Letter of Intent was signed during the International Forum on the Blue Curriculum: International Experiences in Education and Ocean Literacy for Climate Resilience, one of the flagship events of Ocean Literacy Week. The ceremony was attended by Ricardo Galvão, President of the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq); Rear Admiral Ricardo Jaques Ferreira, Secretary of the Interministerial Commission for Marine Resources (SECIRM); Andrea Latgé, Secretary for Strategic Policies and Programmes of the MCTI; Inácio Arruda, Secretary of Science and Technology for Social Development of the MCTI; and Antônio Carlos Rodrigues de Amorim, Director of Distance Education at CAPES. The event was hosted by Professor Ronaldo Christofoletti of the Federal University of São Paulo (Unifesp), a global reference in the field and co-chair of UNESCO's Ocean Literacy Expert Group.

In the real world, we are already experiencing profound change. The impacts of climate change are increasingly visible and frequent, intensifying social inequalities, food insecurity, and other pressing challenges. In this context, Ocean Literacy emerges as an essential concept - one that transcends borders and is gaining global strength. In a country as vast and diverse as Brazil, promoting Ocean Literacy also means engaging with local and regional realities and integrating them into this broader perspective.

Brazil's Ocean Literacy milestones to date include:

• Legal framework to include Ocean Literacy in school curricula in 21 municipalities and four states
• Organization of Regional Blue Curriculum Forums, with broad national participation
• Engagement in the Blue School Program of more than 100,000 students in 22 states and the Federal District
• Active participation in science clubs and youth-led projects of 350 scholarship students and 30 teachers
• International leadership through the Brazilian Ocean Olympiad (with over 62,000 students nationwide), which became an international initiative in 2024, engaging over 15 countries.