UNESCO Endorses Ocean Literacy Project by Leading Diving Organisations

The DAN.PADI Ocean Literacy Project has been officially recognised as an Ocean Decade Action by UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, joining the prestigious Ocean Literacy With All (OLWA) programme under the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030).

This endorsement is a significant recognition of the scientific value and social relevance of the programme. It also plays a vital role in extending the project’s reach and impact, helping to spread marine culture across all ages, languages and nationalities – a goal at the heart of DAN Europe and PADI’s shared vision to achieve balance between humanity and ocean. 

The DAN.PADI Ocean Literacy Project is an international educational initiative designed to raise awareness and empower younger generations to become stewards of the ocean. Through a dynamic e-learning experience, its mission is to make ocean knowledge accessible and engaging by combining science, sustainability and storytelling. The programme features high quality content developed by DAN Europe in collaboration with university professors and marine science researchers. Available in English and Italian, it is currently being used by DAN and PADI instructors in schools, dive centres and youth initiatives.

It consists of four core learning modules:

• Citizen Science – Encouraging students to take an active part in marine research.
• Plastic Pollution – highlighting the impact of human waste on marine ecosystems.
• Climate Change – Understanding the ocean’s role in the global climate crisis.
• Underwater Archaeology – exploring history through underwater cultural heritage.

The project is based on a successful initiative – Scuola D’Amare – launched in Italy in 2019 by a local PADI association, with the approval of MIUR (Italian Ministry of Education). 180 PADI instructors were trained to deliver the programme, which used diving as a gateway to environmental education and discovery. In just five years, Scuola D’Amare has introduced over 80,000 students in 17 regions to the wonders of the Mediterranean Sea.

From this successful start, the project evolved into the DAN.PADI Ocean Literacy Project – a scalable, international programme that embeds ocean literacy into diving education. The aim is not only to equip students with environmental knowledge, but also to instill a deep, personal sense of responsibility for ocean conservation.

Now, with UNESCO’s official endorsement, the programme is expanding its original scope to provide wider access to ocean education for people of all ages, backgrounds and nationalities. With freely accessible content, the programme pushes the boundaries of traditional learning environments and aims to inspire curiosity and promote awareness of the ocean far beyond schools and into communities around the world.

This collaboration brings together DAN Europe’s expertise in dive safety and scientific outreach with PADI’s global reach, supported by a network of 128,000 dive instructors and more than 30 million certified divers in 186 countries over the last 50 years. Together, the two organisations aim to embed ocean literacy into the educational journeys of new generations and global communities, promoting sustainable ocean use, climate action and collective responsibility.

“UNESCO’s support is a powerful boost to our mission,” said Laura Marroni, Exec. Vice President of DAN Europe. “It strengthens our ability to spread marine culture on a global scale – reaching new audiences, in new places, and inspiring a deeper connection with the sea.“

“This recognition by UNESCO reinforces the critical role divers play as ambassadors for ocean protection,” said David Murray, Managing Director of PADI EMEA. “Through the DAN.PADI Ocean Literacy Project, we are making ocean education more inclusive, accessible, and impactful—empowering individuals of all ages to become true Ocean Torchbearers. Together, we’re creating positive ocean change in everyday life, not just for divers, but for the global community.”

Go to https://oceanliteracy.edu.daneurope.org/index to access the programme. 

The platform is also accessible via the TalentLMS app, available for iOS and Android. When using the app for the first time, mobile users must enter the full domain https://oceanliteracy.edu.daneurope.org/ to log in and begin their learning journey. Whether learning on desktop or mobile, course progress is automatically synced across devices for a seamless experience.