22/11/2019 | The Bremen-Durban Marine Environmental Education Network is a joint project between the city of Durban and the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen. It is part of the Climate Partnership of the two cities, which deals with the mutual consultation and joint implementation of projects in the field of climate change mitigation and adaptation. The project is funded by the BMZ through the Service Agency Communities in the One World / Engagement Global. The ZMT is also involved in the project with various actions.
In the course of the project 15 young people from Durban were trained as so-called "Ocean Champs" over two years in topics related to marine conservation and marine ecology. The aim of the project is to raise awareness for sustainability in the population of Durban and to educate the people as to how everyone can contribute to the avoidance of plastic. The Ocean Champs are already successfully taking on the multiplier role in their communities.
The young Champs got hands-on training on types of plastic and the environmental issues caused by increasing plastic pollution. These units were led by the ZMT. In addition, the Ocean Champs learned about oceanic marine life via the South African Association for Marine Biological Research (SAAMBR), received training as tour guides, learned presentation and moderation techniques, as well as project management skills. They also organized various beach cleanups as well as their own campaigns.
In June, the Ocean Champs visited Bremen, where they met with scientists from the ZMT (see https://www.leibniz-zmt.de/de/neuigkeiten/nachrichten-aktuelles/archiv-news/ocean-champs- out-durban-visit-the-zmt.html).
Last week the responsible staff of the Department of Development Cooperation of the Senate Chancellery (Dr. Shazia Aziz Wülbers and Silke Goethe) and experts from science and administration (Hannah Jansen, Project Management Future Earth Coasts, ZMT, and Isabell Müller, MINT Coordination, The Senator for Children and Education) traveled to Durban. The aim of the trip was to further develop and strengthen contacts in order to cooperate with partners from Durban in future projects in the field of research and capacity development and to promote the establishment of school partnerships between Bremen and Durban (SKB).
The highlight of the trip was the ceremonial handover of the certificates to the Ocean Champs in the Moses Mabhida Stadium with all participating partners.
More information about the project: https://oceanchamps.co.za; https://www.leibniz-zmt.de/de/forschung/wissenschaftliche-projekte/meen.html
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