The All-Atlantic Ocean Research and Innovation Alliance (AAORIA) Forum 2026 kicks off today in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. Running on 15 and 16 April, the Forum is AAORIA’s flagship annual gathering, bringing together scientists, policymakers, and ocean stakeholders from across the Atlantic community.

This year’s edition is hosted by Brazil’s Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI) and SENAI CIMATEC, and is supported by the OKEANO Coordination and Support Action project. Building on the momentum of previous Forums, the 2026 edition advances the commitments of the All-Atlantic Declaration through international cooperation, shared science, and collaborative action on the ocean challenges facing the Atlantic basin.

On the second day, the AIR Centre’s Executive Director, Miguel Miranda, will participate in the AAORIA Supporters session, alongside Martin Zimmer from the Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT), moderated by Justin Munyaneza, Director at Fisheries and Oceans Canada.

In alignment with the Forum, the AIR Centre also held its 25th General Assembly on 14 April, the day before the Forum’s opening, at SEMA’s facilities in Salvador.

During the event, attendees will also have the opportunity to explore the winning images of the All-Atlantic Photo Competition: A Celebration of Culture and Communities, an initiative highlighting the cultural diversity and living traditions of Atlantic coastal communities. Showcased in the Forum’s foyer, the exhibition shines a light on the depth and vitality of the people who share the Atlantic’s shores, reminding us that ocean science is inseparable from the communities it serves.

The programme opened on Monday, 13 April, with Bate-papo Atlântico: Ciência e Comunidades, a public side event held in the lively Rio Vermelho neighbourhood of Salvador. Organised by OKEANO in partnership with the Bahia State Environment Secretariat (SEMA) and Fiocruz Bahia, with support from the Federal University of Bahia (UFBA), the session engaged researchers, institutional representatives, and civil society in a deliberately informal setting designed for open dialogue. The initiative reinforced the idea that the environmental challenges that we currently face can only be addressed through collective solutions built with the most affected communities.