Brazil becomes the first country 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.

Photo: UNESCO

Major milestones already achieved by Brazil in Ocean Literacy:

• Inclusion of Ocean Literacy in school curricula in 20 municipalities and 4 states (São Paulo, Pernambuco, Ceará, and Pará);
• Organization of Regional Blue Curriculum Forums with broad national participation;
• Engagement of more than 100,000 students through the Blue School Program;
• Active participation of 350 scholarship students and 30 teachers in science clubs and youth leadership projects;
• International leadership through the Brazilian Ocean Olympiad (>62,000 students across Brazil), which became international in 2024, involving more than 15 countries.

Vidar Helgesen, Executive Secretary of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO and Assistant Director-General of UNESCO said: “Brazil’s federal launch of the Blue Curriculum represents a major achievement for Brazil and a proud moment for the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission.

Brazil’s leadership reflects the essence of the vision of the Commission and indeed of the UN Decade for Ocean Science: to bring together governments and the science community in achieving the ‘Ocean We Need for the Future We Want.’ And, as we are all aware, we can only do that through education.”