The contest “The Ocean is Everyone’s Right” aims to explore the connection between the Ocean and Human Rights. We want to raise awareness, promote Ocean Literacy, and inspire active, informed, and engaged citizenship.
This contest is aimed at students from Blue Schools of the Portuguese network. across all levels of education, challenging them to create artistic works that connect the Ocean with Human Rights. The contest is organized into three categories:
“The Sea Belongs to Everyone!” – 3 to 10 years old
Submission of a Drawing or Illustrated Story exploring the Sea as a source of food, life, leisure, and protection. A sensitive and creative approach to the Ocean's role in our daily lives.
“Human Rights on Land and at Sea” – 11 to 15 years old
Submission of a Poster (hand-drawn or digital) or Illustrated Story reflecting on how the Ocean helps to ensure fundamental rights such as access to food, work, clean water, and environmental protection.
“Ocean, Justice and Freedom” – 16 to 18 years old
Submission of a Poster (hand-drawn or digital) or Illustrated Story offering a critical and informed perspective on current issues such as migration, climate justice, sustainable use of marine resources, and the rights of coastal communities.
Following an extraordinary turnout of 597 entries, 15 finalists were selected in each of the three categories and a global voting was held. We had more than 23 000 votes to choose the winners. These were the winning entries:
Winner - 3 to 10 years old 🏆
👨👩👧👦 18 alunos da Turma 11 do 3.º Ano
🏫 EB1 da Gandra – Ferreiros, Braga
Honorable Mention - 3 to 10 years old 🏅
🙋♀️ Nicole Antunes
🏫 Escola Básica Fonte dos Escudeiros, Samora Correia
Winner - 11 to 15 years old 🏆
🙋♀️ Ema Garcia
🏫 Escola Básica Dr. José de Jesus Neves Júnior, Faro
Honorable Mention - 11 to 15 years old 🏅
🙋♀️ Alice Fernandes, Rodrigo Vera
🏫 Escola Básica Dr. José de Jesus Neves Júnior, Faro
Winner - 16 to 18 years old 🏆
🙋♀️ Mariana Farias
🏫 Escola Básica e Secundária Lima de Freitas, Setúbal
Honorable Mention - 16 to 18 years old 🏅
🙋♂️ Santiago Pereira, Fábio do Vale
🏫 Escola de Hotelaria e Turismo do Algarve, Faro
The contest “The Ocean is Everyone’s Right” was an initiative of the Blue School program, included in the 2025 Activity Plan of the National Commission for Human Rights, following a proposal by DGPM – Directorate-General for Maritime Policy.