Inspiring children through education and creativity
"We hope you listen to our voices,
the time has come to change our lives…"
The children - Schools Across the Ocean
Twinning coastal schools in the British Isles and the United Arab Emirates for collaborative learning, creativity, and action
Education is one of the pillars of We Are The Possible. The Schools Across the Ocean programme was jointly developed between the University of Exeter, the Emirates Literature Foundation, Khorfakkan University, and other collaborators to support the 79% of teachers who say they want to teach about the climate, but do not have the knowledge, resources or support to do so.
A total of 14 schools in the South West of the UK and United Arab Emirates (UAE), encompassing 400 children aged 10-12 have been connecting their communities, working with artists, asking questions of scientists, using their powerful voices and taking action for our one ocean. Over the first half of the autumn term, the schools used the Schools Across the Ocean Toolkit developed by Anita Wood, Lecturer in Education, at the University of Exeter to guide their work.
Anita Wood at the Schools Across the Ocean workshop with the pupils at Beacon Primary School in Exmouth. Picture by Jim Wileman.
The children have been busy learning about endangered seagrass ecosystems and the species that rely on them. They have taken part in joint learning opportunities, and online workshops including sessions with renowned marine biologists, climate scientists and ocean activists. They have used the lens of art and the work of renowned artist Kurt Jackson to gain a greater sense of connection with their own coastal ecosystems and the marine environments near their schools.
The children and teachers are sharing ideas via the digital platform Padlet, and have worked with Anita Wood, Dr Sally Flint, Prof Wendy O’Shea Meddour, and Sarah Abdullah from UAE, who have woven together their voices, writing, and artwork into a bilingual and illustrated poetry anthology called We Are the Ocean. This has been published by the Emirates Literature Foundation.
They have developed a deeper understanding of our planet’s one ocean, and the role that art, science, and education can play in connecting people with nature and with each other. Their voices and actions have been brought together in a film, launched at COP28 and beyond to be shared with policymakers and the public.
The project has been funded by the British Embassy Gulf Strategy Fund.
