Milano and Paris, 5th February 2020 - Prada and UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission present an educational programme dedicated to sustainability and the circular economy for a network of secondary schools around the world over a period of four months - from February to May 2020.

The goal is to educate and raise awareness among the new generation about adopting more responsible and mindful behaviour towards the ocean and its resources, promoting an attitude of sustainable consumption in line with the United Nations 2030 Agenda and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The project, which follows the launch of the PRADA RE-NYLON capsule collection, underscores the Prada Group’s commitment to sustainable choices. It will be financed through a portion of the proceeds from the PRADA RE-NYLON capsule collection sales, donated to UNESCO’s IOC, the world’s foremost authority on ocean science.

Over the next few months, high school teachers in 10 cities around the world (Berlin, Mexico City, Johannesburg, Lisbon, London, Milan, New York, Paris, Shanghai, Venice) will participate in webinars where they will learn how to develop an educational module consisting of 4 lessons dedicated to the theme of sustainability. The project will explore our understanding of the ocean and its importance, the problem of marine pollution, particularly with regards to plastics, and the fashion sector’s commitment to sustainable production to help protect the seas. The fourth lesson will involve students in the creation of an awareness campaign for the conservation of the oceans.

In May, an international jury composed of members representing Prada, UNESCO and others will choose the winning campaign, which will then be presented among the program of activities conducted by UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission at the Second United Nations Ocean Conference (Lisbon, 2 - 6 June 2020), and subsequently disseminated on Prada and UNESCO channels and on pradagroup.com.

Lorenzo Bertelli, Prada Group Head of Marketing, said: “For the Prada Group, the promotion of culture and education is an integral part of the sustainability strategy. The collaboration with UNESCO embraces this path and translates it into a direct channel of communication with students around the world. We are proud to see the creation of an ocean awareness project from what was initially a product innovation and sustainable materials initiative”.

Vladimir Ryabinin, Executive Secretary of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission and Assistant Director General of UNESCO: “The global scale of the problems facing the ocean means that no single country or organization can fix them all. We need partnerships across science, decision-makers and the private sector to create a sustainable ocean economy that uses the ocean but also preserves and cherishes it. Together with the Prada Group, we hope to mobilize students from around the world around these ideas, transforming their energy and creativity into a vector towards a more ocean-literate society.”