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 Minister Maria do Rosario Sambo (Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Angola)
On August 14th, 2020, 1-2 PM UTC, we met Maria do Rosário Sambo, Minister of Higher Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Angola. The moderator was Susana Catita, Executive Director, Ciencia LP. Minister Maria do Rosário Sambo took office on September 30th, 2017. She earned her medical degree from the Faculty of Medicine of the University Agostinho Neto, Luanda, Angola, in 1983, received her Neurology speciality in 1997 from the Egas Moniz Hospital, Lisbon, Portugal and obtained her PhD degree in Medicine, Genetics Specialty, with the theme “Genetic Susceptibility to Cerebral Malaria in Angolan Children” from the University of Lisbon and the Gulbenkian Institute of Science, Portugal, in 2010. From 2011 to 2015, Minister Maria do Rosario Sambo was the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine of Universidade Katyavala Bwila, Benguela, Angola, and then she was the Rector of Universidade Agostinho Neto, Luanda, from 2015 to 2017. She is currently a Full Professor at the Faculty of Medicine of the Universidade Agostinho Neto.
Networking Friday Special Thematic Session on Sargassum
Continuing with the Networking Fridays Webinar series, on July 31st, 1-3 PM UTC we had our second 2-hour long Thematic Special Session. This session was focused on Sargassum and we had an unique panel of specialists: Cesar Toro (IOCARIBE of IOC-UNESCO), Karima Degia (UWI), Sandra Ketelhake (AtlantOS, KDM), Isabel Sousa Pinto (CIIMAR, GEO MBON), and Leah Mupas Segui (GEO Blue Planet Initiative). The moderator was Emily Smail (NOAA, GEO Blue Planet Initiative).
From Deep Sea to Outer Space
On July 22nd, 1-3 PM UTC, we will start a new Webinar series. This first session will have a unique group of speakers: Fabien Cousteau, Jacques Rougerie and Peter Weiss. The moderator will be Gui Menezes, Regional Secretary for the Sea, Science and Technology of the Government of the Azores. They will discuss human life in extreme environments, From the Deep Sea to the Outer Space.