Marevivo's Guardian Dolphins Programme Goes Out to Italy’s Islands for its Tenth Year

The 2024 Guardian Dolphins programme with partner organisation Marevivo has now kicked off across Italy’s islands to reach over 1,600 school students

Focus areas: Education

Once again, February marks the start of a new year of the joint Marevivo-MSC Foundation programme “Guardian Dolphins of the Islands,” conceived to stimulate, inform and nurture tomorrow’s champions of the seas.

Now in its tenth year, Guardian Dolphins is an educational programme for school children delivered across the Aeolian and Aegadian Islands, as well as the islands of Elba, Ustica and La Maddalena, plus the town of Milazzo in Sicily. 

Under the guidance of Marevivo staff, together with teachers, experts and local institutions, the youngsters embark on outdoor environmental research and observation activities. Exploring nature on trails, in woods and on beaches, they also go on boat trips to see their area from a new perspective and meet people who work on and for the sea. These extend from fishermen and Coast Guards to representatives of Italy’s National Parks and Marine Protected Areas who work tirelessly to preserve our Blue Planet’s biodiversity.

The children’s outdoor experiences are complemented by fascinating in-class workshops aided by the "Blue Corner" – a specially designed teaching station equipped with multimedia materials for environmental education that Marevivo provides for every participating school. In addition, each student receives specially created programme materials, while their teachers are supported with educational and themed kits for further classroom activities.

Upon completion of the programme, the participants earn the title of "Island Guardians," which gives them the right and duty to independently report environmental concerns to their local municipality or Coast Guard, strengthening their connection with their communities and their understanding of conservation practices. The overarching goal is to deepen the young people’s understanding of the natural, archaeological and environmental assets of their areas, while also rediscovering the importance of local traditions and fostering active citizenship from an early age.

An exciting development this year sees the programme expanding to involve lower secondary school students from Ustica and the Aegadian islands, who will be taking part in some of the activities and beach clean-ups.

Thanks to the enthusiasm of school leaders and educators, a total of over 1,600 students will be engaged in the 2024 programme, which benefits from the active support of the Italian Navy and Coast Guard, the Federation of Italian National Parks and Nature Reserves, the Forestry Corps and the local municipalities, Marine Protected Areas and National Parks in the areas concerned.

As the opening activities kicked off, Laura Gentile, Marevivo’s National Coordinator of the programme, commented: "Guardian Dolphins of the Islands is a programme that’s very close to our hearts, designed for our youngest citizens and made possible by the invaluable partnership of their schools. As a programme, it’s about more than environmental education: It's about embarking on a cultural shift to which we can all contribute to live in harmony with our planet."

MSC Foundation's Executive Director, Daniela Picco, observed: "MSC Foundation is committed to nurturing these children's curiosity and knowledge of the seas, while also fostering a sense of responsibility in their communities. Our partnership with Marevivo has reached over 7,300 students and nearly 800 teachers since 2015. Through innovative tools and engaging teaching methods, we aim to inspire their imaginations and sow the seeds of lasting change."

Out on Italy’s islands, 2024 is shaping up to be a memorable year. We can’t wait to see pictures of the children’s faces out on their field trips. The beach clean-ups are always particularly memorable!