The registration is now open for the anticipated All-Atlantic Ocean Research and Innovation Alliance (AAORIA) Forum 2025, hosted by the European Union on September 25-26 in Brussels.
The AAORIA unites countries across the Atlantic basin – from Europe, Africa, North and South America, to both polar regions – to advance marine research and innovation through collaborative efforts. This unique alliance continues to strengthen international cooperation in implementing the Galway and Belém Statements while addressing the priorities outlined in the All-Atlantic Declaration.
This year’s Forum holds particular significance as the EU’s chairmanship agenda aligns strategically with both the EU’s Atlantic Strategy and the ambitious EU Mission ‘Restore our Ocean and Waters’. The event will serve as a critical platform to showcase achievements in implementing the AAORIA Declaration and advance cooperation across all agreed partnership areas.
A key focus of the Forum will be promoting activities that transfer scientific knowledge and solutions to local communities along the Atlantic coastline. The upcoming network of Atlantic Beacon Sites- demonstration sites for coastal resilience – will be highlighted as a model for cooperation among inter-linked policy areas based on scientific results. Additionally, the Forum will further the Atlantic inter-generational dialogue through an innovative Blue Intergenerational Programme.
The AAORIA Forum represents a unique opportunity to connect the Atlantic research community with policymakers, industry leaders, and civil society. By bringing together diverse stakeholders from across the Atlantic, it can accelerate knowledge exchange and develop more effective, coordinated approaches to ocean challenges.
Attendance is free, but spaces are limited with registration accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. The organizers strongly encourage early registration, particularly for participants requiring invitation letters for visa purposes.
In keeping with AAORIA’s commitment to accessibility, the Forum will also be web-streamed, with recordings made available on the AAORIA website following the event.
To register, please visit the following webpage: https://bit.ly/4m7Uda4
More information on the event will be shared soon.
Networking Friday with Zita Martins (Instituto Superior Técnico, Portugal)
On November 6th, 2020, 1-2 PM UTC, we met Zita Martins, Associate Professor at Instituto Superior Técnico (IST). She talked about Astrobiology: Origin and detection of life in the solar system. The moderator was Gaia Stucky de Quay, University of Texas at Austin. Science magazine considered the search for life in the Universe as one of the twenty-five major questions still unanswered in science, and with prominence during the next decade. To answer this question, scientists i) investigate how life on Earth came about, and ii) develop space missions to search for extra-terrestrial life. In case i) they analyse meteorites in the laboratory and make in-situ analyses of comets and asteroids. This is because it is known that the Earth received tons of organic molecules, that were delivered by these celestial bodies, from the formation of the solar system up until 3.8 billion years ago. Their analysis gives fundamental clues about the primitive Earth and how life on our planet could have potentially appeared. In case ii) it is necessary to first determine places in the solar system that have the conditions for life to arise and develop. Among them we find the planet Mars, and the icy moons Europa and Enceladus. Zita’s presentation discussed the origin of life in the solar system, and the various space missions in search of extra-terrestrial life.
Networking Friday Thematic Special Session on African Marine and Coastal Operational Services
On October 30th, 2020, 1-3 PM UTC, we had a Thematic Special Session on African Marine and Coastal Operational Services: examples from around the continent. This Networking Friday session focused on pan-continental African marine initiatives using EO data, technologies and services in support of African sustainable development. In the marine and coastal domains, the GMES-Africa initiative provides four consortia around the continent that are developing and implementing a variety of services, including the provision of oceanographic products, fisheries and aquaculture support, coastal ecosystem monitoring and maritime security. As a joint initiative between the African and European Unions, there is strong emphasis on realising value from the data, information, expertise and know-how offered by the Copernicus programme. The South African National Oceans and Coastal Information Management System was also presented.
Networking Friday with Filomena Vaz Velho (INIPM, Angola)
On October 23rd, 2020, 1-2 PM UTC, we met Filomena Vaz Velho, National Institute for Fisheries and Marine Research (INIPM), Angola. She presented the LuandaWaterfront Project – Luanda Bay Ecological Assessment: A waterfront based approach to reduce environmental risks and increase quality of life. The moderator was Marcelo Rollnic, Professor at the Federal University of Para, Brazil. LuandaWaterfront is a scientific research and technological development project that includes Angolan and Portuguese institutions, namely, the National Institute for Fisheries and Marine Research (INIPM), the Faculty of Sciences of the Agostinho Neto University (FC-UAN), the University of Algarve (UALg) and the Center for Marine Sciences (CCMAR), which is the coordinator. The project is funded the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) and the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN). The objective is to assess the state of the Bay of Luanda (Angola), as well as to increase scientific knowledge of environmental risks, namely Harmful Algae Blooms (HABs), Ciguatera Fish Poisoning (CFP), marine litter and other global climate change threats that impact on the well-being of local communities and the health of the ecosystem. The project also plans to establish co-management mechanisms for the Bay of Luanda, involving stakeholders and local communities, with the aim of recommending environmental mitigation strategies to improve its water quality and promote the sustainable development of the different services of this ecosystem. The principal investigator from Portugal is Alexandra Teodósio and, from Angola, Filomena Vaz Velho.