Kids are our future

Marte Mjåsnes Torkildsen (VilVite / Bergen Science Centre), an active member of the SOS community and facilitator of one of the expert sessions during the voyage, shares insights from the Message in a Bottle project, her encounter with students at Drew School in San Francisco, and the ways in which the One Ocean Expedition is shaping VilVite’s new “Planet Ocean” exhibition for One Ocean Week. She highlights why early ocean curiosity matters — and how cross-institutional and cross-country collaboration can empower the next generation of ocean stewards.

Next generation to care about the ocean

Engaging children in questions related to the ocean, ocean health and climate change is not only nice – it’s a necessity. And why? Well, let’s deepen the general argument “because kids are our future” with the knowledge that “our interests are formed before we become teenagers”. If we want the next generation to care about the ocean, they need to get to know the sea well before kids reach adolescence.

I work towards creating and fostering children’s connections to science and the ocean – and this last year, Statsraad Lehmkuhl has played a significant role in how we both ignite the initial spark and keep the flame burning as children grow older.

Planet Ocean

Our newest exhibition at Bergen Science Centre, VilVite (to be opened in June) is called “Planet Ocean”. One of the exhibits is “Ocean Music”. This experience will draw directly from the One Ocean Expedition, sampling the sounds that are collected beneath Statsraad Lehmkuhl: from whales and dolphins to the sound of the engine. Using creativity and interactivity, you can mix these sounds to create your own personal ocean music.

Message in a Bottle

As she sails, Statsraad Lehmkuhl carries the voices of youths from around the world with her through the project “Message in a Bottle”. The first messages to be brought on board were created by two schools here in Bergen, in a workshop that connected youths from Bergen with the One Ocean Youth Panel. In San Francisco, I got to meet students from Drew School and see their message on behalf of the ocean.

When Statsraad Lehmkuhl returns in April, I hope you will help me as we continue including children in the ocean conversation. Because if we want a thriving ocean in the future, we must nurture ocean confidence and curiosity now. By working together – across institutions, countries, and generations – we are already taking those essential first steps.

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