MILAN/PARIS, MARCH 25 – As a precautionary measure in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Italian global leader in the luxury goods industry Prada and UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) have decided to postpone the start of activities of the Sea Beyond project to September 2020.
According to data released by UNESCO, and as of today, the COVID-19 outbreak is now impacting 1,254,315,203 learners worldwide, from the pre-primary to tertiary level, and including the higher education one. 72.9% of total enrolled learners worldwide is staying away from school due to the COVID-19 crisis. 124 countries have ordered nationwide school closures, spanning Asia, Europe, the Middle East and North and South America.
The Sea Beyond project is designed for students all around the world, to help them understand the importance of the ocean for the future of our planet and guide their energy and creativity towards actions for a more sustainable society.
With the closing of educational establishments across the world, particularly in the ten countries participating in the Sea Beyond project, Prada and UNESCO’s IOC are currently unable to effectively deliver the main educational elements of the initiative, particularly with regards to fostering group work among students in participating schools.
PRADA and IOC will renew this activity without delay once the crisis is finished. The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC-UNESCO), established in 1960 as a body with functional autonomy within UNESCO, is the only competent organization for marine science within the UN system. The purpose of the Commission is to promote international cooperation and to coordinate programmes in research, services and capacity-building, in order to learn more about the nature and resources of the ocean and coastal areas and to apply that knowledge for the improvement of management, sustainable development, the protection of the marine environment, and the decision-making processes of its Member States. (@OnuItalia)
