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Description
Ver para Querer is a project whose main objective is to raise awareness and knowledge about marine and coastal issues. It aims to contribute to the knowledge of the oceans and raise awareness of the duty to preserve marine environment, through behavioral change, as well as to promote the scientific and technological culture and increase Ocean Literacy.
This project intends to stimulate the involvement of citizens in the themes of the Sea, in order to promote a culture of respect for the Ocean and promote the construction of a more blue society. Thus, Ver para Querer is based on three lines of action involving the following themes:
1 | The Sea as a resource;
2 | The Sea as heritage / memory;
3 | The Sea as pleasure / entertainment.
Ver Para Querer will actively involve the school and local community, the scientific community, the business sector of the sea, the municipalities and professionals of the sea economy. With regard to the public school, the Escola Azul do Bairro Operário and the Escola Azul de Santa Maria, both belonging to the Júlio Dantas group, are partners in the project. It is also a partner, the Surf Sports Training Center for School Sports of the Gil Eanes Group of Schools.
The project mainly aims to contribute to the development of individual skills, to the training of teachers on the themes of preservation and sustainability of the Ocean, but also to the promotion of the use of the Sea as a place for positive and recreational relationships, promoting water sports and recreational tours. The project will have special attention to students with Special Educational Needs, who will be included in the most diverse activities.
Ver para Querer intends to develop awareness and will promote campaigns for everyone to contribute to a more active and participative society in issues related to the defense and protection of the Oceans, developing various actions in all regions of the Algarve.
Summary of project results
Ver para Querer was a project whose main objective was to raise awareness and knowledge about marine and coastal issues. It essentially aimed to contribute to knowledge of the oceans and raise awareness of the duty to conserve our natural heritage by changing behaviour, as well as promoting a scientific and technological culture of the ocean. The aim was to encourage citizens to get involved in ocean issues, to promote a culture of respect for the ocean and promote the construction of a bluer society. Thus, Ver para Querer was based on three lines of action involving the following themes:
1| The Sea as a resource;
2| The Sea as pleasure/entertainment;
3| The sea as heritage/memory.
Ver Para Querer actively involved the school and local community, the scientific community, the maritime business sector, municipalities, and professionals in the maritime economy. As far as schools are concerned, the Bairro Operário Blue School and the Santa Maria Blue School, both part of the Júlio Dantas group, were partners in the project. The Gil Eanes School Group''s Surf Sports Training Center was also a partner. Overall, the project has produced a series of digital content as tools for promoting ocean literacy. The rubrics are: "Scientists respond" where various scientists answer questions posed by curious little ones; "Impertinent questions" which consists of a rubric in graphic animation to answer the most common questions about the sea; "Kids respond" which consists of short videos in which students answer questions from their parents after research work. We also have a section on intergenerational encounters, just as video recordings of people linked to the sea professions who came to share their experiences with the students and talk about their day-to-day lives. Finally, a digital virtual tour of a seaside walk was built, so that after a trip to the beach, the teacher could explore with their students the curiosities that remained unanswered on the beach. In addition to the digital resources, an annual activity program was developed to promote ocean literacy and a teacher training program was developed, both of which were tested.
In terms of results, the project exceeded its estimates. More than 500 activities were carried out to raise awareness of ocean literacy, whereas 150 were planned in the form of product dissemination, and 171 products were produced.
1,722 students took part in water sports activities, compared to 400. More than 8800 people, were directly involved with the project activities. The Ver para Querer project proved to be too ambitious for its budget and funding. The team at the Centro Ciência Viva de Lagos recognizes that the objectives set out in the application were not feasible with the budget foreseen for the program. However, they were achieved and exceeded. We believe that this project went far beyond the objectives set for both the project and the funding program.