Dear IOLN members, we know that this time period is very difficult for us all. We hope you look after yourselves and each other.

#WeAreIslanders

Remember

Joy Harjo – 1951-

Remember the sky that you were born under,
know each of the star’s stories.
Remember the moon, know who she is.
Remember the sun’s birth at dawn, that is the
strongest point of time. Remember sundown
and the giving away to night.
Remember your birth, how your mother struggled
to give you form and breath. You are evidence of
her life, and her mother’s, and hers.
Remember your father. He is your life, also.
Remember the earth whose skin you are:
red earth, black earth, yellow earth, white earth
brown earth, we are earth.
Remember the plants, trees, animal life who all have their
tribes, their families, their histories, too. Talk to them,
listen to them. They are alive poems.
Remember the wind. Remember her voice. She knows the
origin of this universe.
Remember you are all people and all people
are you.
Remember you are this universe and this
universe is you.
Remember all is in motion, is growing, is you.
Remember language comes from this.
Remember the dance language is, that life is.
Remember.

Competition postponed until further notice

The Explorers Ocean Super Hero creative writing and pop art competition for primary schools (in Ireland) has been postponed until further notice.

However there are lots of amazing resources that students and parents and teachers can use from home including:

• Learning about myself and the wider world – Understanding the effects of climate change on the world
• Creative writing lesson plan – planning a super hero story
• Ocean Hero comic book template
• Other useful links to exploring the topic of climate change and the Ocean including facts and figures and posters

See explorers.ie for more info.

 Proudly supported by;

Marine Institute – Foras na Mara 

The Camden Education Trust 

Working towards an Ocean Literate Society

As the Secretariat made its way to the Environmental Research Unit in UCCork we were thinking about how far the IOLN has come since its inception. This network of ocean heroes has got some great support from its SG (Steering Group) and we could not grow this ocean family without thier support. Our FOUNDATION is strong and we are on a rising tide of positivity.

OUR MEMBERS

The IOLN members are our greatest asset though, during the meeting we discussed a number of ideas on how to connect with members and give them a platform to reach new audiences and complete thier objectives.

THE COLLABORATION FORM

All of our members have the opportunity to connect with the whole network with the unique Collaboration Form, once this form is complete it is sent out to every network member.

The Value of Membership

What is the value of joining the IOLN? During the meeting we discussed the value of membership, see the benifits below;

• To create a sustainable network of ocean literacy champions on the island of Ireland
• To facilitate collaboration, sharing and coordination of marine outreach and ocean literacy projects on the island of Ireland
• To maintain a facilitator who will act as a central contact and dissemination point for the network
• To generate ideas to support initiatives and collaboration opportunities between network members
• To support and grow the membership of the network by creating a vibrant and active network of members
• To provide a platform for engagement with relevant stakeholders

As you can see being a member has so many opportunities and we are always looking for new members to grow the IOLNetwork. If you would like to join please CONTACT US TODAY.

The Future of IOLN

The Steering Group and Secretariat are very proud and passionate about the future for the IOLN. The importance of the ocean and an informed ocean literate public is too important to lose. Please join us, start advocating about the value of ocean literacy, share your stories and together we can grow. #WeAreIslanders

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.

Margaret Meade

About the Oceanscape project

Oceanscape is an effort of the GEO Blue Planet Initiative to identify the numerous organisations (including projects, programmes, and other structures) working in the “ocean space”, and to clarify the connections between them (as well as identifying opportunities to make connections where none exist).

The Partnership for Observation of the Global Ocean (POGO), a founding member of GEO Blue Planet, is leading the development of the Oceanscape portal.  This portal, which was launched during Ocean Obs’19 in September 2019, is a community effort that aims to serve a variety of stakeholders:

• the scientific community, who may not be aware of all the initiatives taking place in the “ocean space”, and who could benefit from identifying synergies, new collaborations and avoiding overlap or duplication;
• NGOs, as well as the private sector, who may be looking for suitable organisations for collaboration;
• governments and funding agencies, who may not have a clear picture of the “oceanscape” of organisations, what they are each doing and how they differ from one another.

This project can only be successful with input from the organisations themselves. We therefore ask that you help us to raise awareness about Oceanscape, and that you take a few minutes to enter your organisation and keep it updated in the years to come.

It is anticipated that the portal will be continually improved, therefore any feedback you may have (as either a user or provider of information) would be highly appreciated. You can contact us via the contact form on this page, or write directly to Sophie Seeyave (POGO CEO).

The Ocean is the most important natural feature on ‘Planet Earth’, covering two thirds of its surface, regulating its climate and providing half of the oxygen we breathe. Yet very few people are ‘Ocean Literate’, while the vast majority know very little about the Ocean, the threats facing it and how these can be managed to ensure Humanity’s future…..