Students from the Bishop’s Conservatory, Victoria, St Ignatius College secondary school, Ħandaq, Qormi, and San Andrea school, L-Imselliet, Mġarr, took part in the first Perseus@school event at the national aquarium, Qawra, an initiative that promotes ocean literacy and commemorates EU Maritime Day.

Alan Deidun from the University’s Physical Oceanography (PO) unit spoke to the students on marine environmental issues and the work being done in the Perseus project.

This was followed by a tour of the aquarium and a viewing of an underwater documentary.

The event was organised by the PO unit in collaboration with the national aquarium, the Malta Tourism Authority and Sharklab, under the patronage of President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca.

The Perseus@school network is a marine environment education programme that enables students to study environmental issues and problems in the Mediterranean and Black Seas and share opinions on ways in which young people can help protect these waters. The network forms part of the Perseus project in which the PO unit is a partner.

A student who took part in the Perseus@school event will be selected as a Perseus ‘ambassador’ to deliver a presentation at the European Parliament in Brussels in December. The project will fund the travel and subsistence expenses of the student and an accompanying parent.

www.perseus-net.eu/en/schools_network/index.html