4SEAS · SYNERGIES BETWEEN SCIENCE AND SOCIETY FOR A SHARED APPROACH TO EUROPEAN SEAS

More than 70% of the globe is covered by water, and Europe itself is bordered by four different water basins (the Atlantic Ocean/North Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, the Baltic Sea and the Black Sea) which have been shaping and influencing the European cultural, social and economic heritage since the ancient times. Seas are the paradigm of cross-cutting approaches to knowledge and life. Oceans are appealing and fascinating which make them ideal tools for engaging and communicating with the public at large (irrespective of its age) even on otherwise complex, distant and themes. 4SEAS comes by a consortium mainly composed of science museums/aquariums and research centres located on the coasts of the 4 different European basins. Partners will act as single modules within a European network based on ITC technologies. 4SEAS will address all of the above through the following actions: 1) direct engagement of the public at large following a bottom-up approach to science communication; 2) selection of marine-related topics to be addressed by each partner taking into account both a shared/European and a specific/regional approach; 3) cooperation between science centres and science museums/aquariums to develop each topic and set up interactive exhibitions; 4) large use of ITC technologies to ensure connectivity in the network and open to the widest audience; 5) museum exhibitions and marine-oriented external events planned and made available directly or on the web. 4SEAS aims are: 1) to ensure visibility and dissemination of research results to the civil society; 2) to enable the public to express its views and concerns about science; 3) to promote science to the young; 4) to strengthen the European citizens’ sense of participation in Europe through their direct involvement; 5) to develop a European awareness of the marine environment, cultural and technological aspects included; 6) to promote the regional approach within a broader context of European dimension.