FVA team took part in the European Researchers’ Night – LEAF 2025 in Frascati, leading an engaging science outreach experience that invited children and families to discover the wonders of the ocean through play, exploration and creativity.
In collaboration with the EU-funded projects iCULTURE and BlueMissionMed, FVA designed and coordinated the Blue Treasure Hunt, an interactive educational journey that involved more than 500 participants and transformed ocean science into an exciting adventure.
Young explorers travelled across five thematic “knowledge islands” dedicated to Ocean Literacy, Biodiversity, Blue Economy, Threats to Waters, and Active Citizenship, taking part in hands-on activities, mini-experiments and creative challenges at each stop. Equipped with a personalised Blue Passport, participants collected stamps as they completed the activities, with those reaching all five islands receiving a copy of Our Blue Treasure, the children’s book developed within the BlueMissionMed project to inspire curiosity, stewardship and care for marine ecosystems.
As partner of the Horizon Europe project iCULTURE, FVA also contributed to the event through a dedicated exhibition combining science, art and visual storytelling to showcase innovative approaches for communicating marine topics to diverse audiences.
Particular attention was devoted to the world of macroalgae, a central theme of iCULTURE. Throughout the Blue Treasure Hunt, participants had the opportunity to observe real seaweed samples, learn about their potential as sustainable bioresources and discover career paths linked to marine research and innovation, from marine biologists studying algae to scientists developing bio-based products and solutions.
The Blue Treasure Hunt was conceived and coordinated by FVA, with scientific guidance provided by marine biologist Martina Gaglioti and the support of ARPA Lazio experts Filippo Fratini, Martina Fustolo and Andrea Bonifazi.
