On 18 November 2025, Drs. Chiara Certomà presented PartArt4OW at the Roundtable “Engaging People with the Sea: Creative and Innovative Pathways to Marine Citizenship”, held within the UN COP30 Virtual Ocean Pavilion.
The session brought together researchers, practitioners, and policy experts to explore how artistic and participatory approaches can strengthen public engagement with marine environments and support Europe’s transition towards sustainable ocean and water governance.
Hosted online within the COP30 Ocean Pavilion programme, the roundtable showcased innovative methodologies designed to foster marine citizenship—an emerging framework that emphasises emotional connection, civic responsibility, and active participation in safeguarding ocean and freshwater ecosystems.
Representing PartArt4OW, Drs. Certomà highlighted the project’s contribution to this agenda, illustrating how participatory art initiatives across Europe are helping communities re-imagine their relationship with oceans and waters. She discussed how creative co-production, collaborative fieldwork, and community-centred artistic practices can support scientific research, amplify local knowledge, and inspire long-term behavioural change.
Key themes of the roundtable included:
- the role of creative practices in strengthening emotional and civic ties with marine environments;
- participatory methodologies for engaging citizens, scientists, and local communities;
- new pathways toward marine literacy and marine citizenship;
- opportunities to integrate artistic research within broader policy and sustainability frameworks.
PartArt4OW’s contribution demonstrated how the project is aligned with the objectives of the EU Mission “Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030”, promoting multi-stakeholder collaboration and creative engagement to address urgent environmental challenges.
The full programme of the COP30 Virtual Ocean Pavilion is available online, including the roundtable in which Drs. Certomà participated, offering broader insight into global efforts to enhance public understanding and stewardship of the ocean.