Milan, Venice, 19^th November 2024 – Prada Group and UNESCO-IOC, with the support of the City of Venice, announce the launch of the third cycle of the Kindergarten of the Lagoon in the framework of SEA BEYOND, the project to raise awareness of sustainability and ocean preservation. This outdoor Ocean Literacy initiative, that will be held from November 2024 until May 2025, invites children from Venice to connect deeply with the unique ecosystem of the Venetian Lagoon, blending experiential learning and environmental stewardship with the transformative power of performance art. Through this program, kids will engage in a series of hands-on experiences that connect them to the lagoon's biodiversity to deepen connection to the ocean and foster a new generation of ocean stewards through outdoor education.

Building upon the success of the past two years, this cycle involves one Venetian School – Scuola dell’Infanzia Sant’Elena – for a total of 64 pre-school students and it is extended to include more frequent outings to different islands of the Venetian lagoon, including Vignole, Sant’Erasmo and Lido.

A central feature of the program is the integration of the “Ocean of Wonder”, part of the Theater of Citizenship (Teatro di Cittadinanza), a collaborative theater experience conducted by Venetian director Mattia Berto. Known for his site-specific, community-engaged performances, Berto will lead three workshops that will transform the children's observations of the lagoon into creative expressions, using their bodies and voices to embody marine life and tell the stories of the ocean. Children and their parents will work alongside seasoned performers from the Theater of  Citizenship, starting with group-building exercises at UNESCO’s Venice office to follow with a second workshop in the lagoon. The final workshop at the Lido of Venice will culminate in a public performance, inviting the broader community to witness the children’s transformative journey. Mattia Berto commented: “Our theater is a tool for building awareness and fostering a shared responsibility toward our planet. By transforming into marine creatures and oceanic wonders, children will emerge more conscious, active, and responsible.”

The lessons learned and data collected will guide the development of educational materials for global dissemination on the impact of the outdoor education on participating children’s physical, psychological, and social development. These data will also inform research by Adjunct Professor Annamaria Colao of the University of Naples Federico II, whose work forms part of the UNESCO Chairs program, in the framework of a university curriculum centered on cultural and environmental determinants of health, alongside healthy dietary and lifestyle habits.

Lorenzo Bertelli, Head of Prada Group Corporate Social Responsibility: “In this year’s cycle, together with UNESCO-IOC, we structured a program that leverages on the intersection among art, education and science to nurture the curiosity of the kids. This makes this project so special. We wish to inspire similar projects worldwide.”

“We are thrilled to amplify the reach of this vital program,” said Magdalena Landry, Director of the UNESCO Regional Bureau for Science and Culture in Europe. “Together with Prada Group, we are shaping a brighter, more ocean-literate future for our children.”