12.00 – 13.00 Coming aboard & first ration

Registration & Lunch

13.00 – 13.30 Lifting the anchor: Welcome remarks

Introductory video 

Marc Lemaître (tbc)

Director-General, European Commission – Directorate-General for Research and Innovation 

Kęstutis Sadauskas

Deputy Director-General European Commission – Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries 

Armin Reinartz 

Head of Directorate-General “European and International Cooperation in Education and Research” German Federal Ministry of Education and Research

Paloma Aba Garrote 

Director, European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency

13.30 – 13.45 30 Months at Sea – An overview of the Plastic Pirates

A citizen science initiative spreading across Europe: What are its achievements; what has been learned?

The Plastic Pirates – Go Europe! team shares insights of the main activities, results, and learnings of the initiative. Short pitches provide background to the following sessions and set the scene for the summit.

• Pitch by Philip Ackermann, Plastic Pirates – Go Europe! Coordinator, DLR Project Management Agency 

13.45 – 14.45 Young Pirates on Deck: Sharing first-hand insights

What were the experiences of young adults in the Plastic Pirates citizen science initiative across Europe? What can we learn from their feedback? Was there an impact?

Young adults from across Europe share their first-hand experiences, insights, and their lessons learned from taking part in the Plastic Pirates – Go Europe citizen science initiative. Based on their presentation, the panel will be discussing the importance, pathways, and impact of citizen engagement via citizen science.

• Evelyn Paredes Coral, Policy Officer, European Commission, Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries

• Two Plastic Pirates Ambassadors, Young Europeans from one or more participating countries

• Teacher, From one participating country 

• Margaret Gold, Coordinator of the Citizen Science Lab at Leiden University

14.45 – 15:30 Lowering the anchor: Coffee Break and Exhibition    

Young Plastic Pirates Ambassadors, National Contact Points and other Mission Ocean projects present their achievements and activities in the foyer during the coffee break.

15.30 – 16.30 Pirating for Plastics: The Scientific Treasure

What are the scientific findings of the Plastic Pirates – Go Europe! citizen initiative on plastic pollution in European rivers and oceans? Are there plastic pollution hotspots? What can we learn from the results?

Plastic Pirates – Go Europe! showcases the role of Citizen Science in advancing scientific knowledge. The team presents consolidated data and findings on macro- and micro-plastic litter in Europe. Subsequently, an expert panel evaluates the significance of these findings in relation to scientific excellence and the objectives of the EU Mission Restore Our Ocean and Waters, as well as the potential for future research.

• Pitch by Ana Catarino, Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ)

• Pitch by Gudrun Obersteiner, Institute of Waste Management and Circularity (ABF-BOKU) 

Panel discussion: 

• Georg Hanke (tbc), Scientific Officer - European Commission – Joint Research Centre

• Ana Catarino, Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ)

• Gudrun Obersteiner, Institute of Waste Management and Circularity (ABF-BOKU)

• John Hanus, Policy Officer - European Commission – Directorate-General for Research and Innovation 

16.30 – 16.40 Sailing the Seven Seas: A Global Battle Against Plastic Pollution

Let’s look beyond Europe! What are the worldwide efforts in the fight against plastic pollution? And do the Plastic Pirates contribute to a global cause? 

• Presentation by Janyl Moldalieva, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Brussels Office

16.40 – 17.40 Plastic Pirates setting a new course? The future of the citizen science initiative

What comes next for the Plastic Pirates initiative? How to further upscale the initiative? What should be done to secure its achievements and further advance the approach?

The Plastic Pirates – Go Europe! citizen science initiative is certainly a success story. But has the story already been fully told? The Plastic Pirates could become a permanent part of citizen science being done in Europe. They could work more closely with the Blue Economy sector or even expand to all of Europe and beyond. 

• Pitch by Fedra Francocci, National Research Council (CNR)

• Pitch by Janto Schönberg, Kiel Science Factory

Panel discussion: 

• Elisabetta Balzi, Head of Unit Ocean, Seas and Waters, European Commission – Directorate-General for Research and Innovation 

• Ágota Dávid, Science and Technology Attaché – Permanent Representation of Hungary to the EU ERA Forum, Hungary

• Petra Siegele, Head of Public Science, OeAD Austrian Agency for Education and Internationalisation

• Ana Noronha, Executive Director, Ciência Viva, Portugal  

17.40 – 17.45 Sailing into harbour: Closing remarks

18.00 – 21.00 Evening ration (Pizza), Drinks and Pub Quiz

Short pitch by each moderator for their workshop

10.30 – 12.00 Workshops – parallel sessions

• Workshop 1: What is needed to become a blue citizen? 

  Workshop lead: EU4Ocean Coalition

  The workshop explores the concept of "blue citizenship," focusing on how to foster ocean citizenship and democracy through citizen science and education. Participants will share experiences from Plastic Pirates and Blue Schools initiatives, discussing how knowledge gained through these projects can inspire sustainable practices and long-term engagement. The session aims to collectively define blue citizenship, identify challenges, and propose changes to strengthen future projects' impact on ocean protection.

• Workshop 2: Riverine data on (plastic) pollution – How to streamline data collection and management? 

  Workshop lead: Joint Research Centre, European Commission

  The workshop on riverine and coastal data on plastic pollution focuses on the role of citizen science in contributing to scientific research. It explores data collection, quality assurance, and ways to make citizen-generated data accessible to researchers. The participants share their experiences, discuss challenges, and work collaboratively to improve data management and complement excellent science.

• Workshop 3: How to upscale, maintain and coordinate Citizen Science in the Mission Restore our Ocean and Waters’ objectives? 

  Workshop lead: OTTERS

  The workshop focuses on scaling and coordinating citizen science efforts within the EU Mission Ocean, with the goal of advancing water and ocean restoration. It collects best practices and tools from various projects, identifies challenges, and fosters collaborative strategies to overcome them. The participants will engage in interactive activities to co-design roadmaps for scaling up initiatives and will conclude by developing recommendations for sustainable citizen science projects. 

• Workshop 4: Inclusive Approaches to Citizen Science – How to build trust in Science through Participation?  

  Workshop lead: Ciência Viva 

  The workshop aims to equip teachers and youth group leaders with collaborative tools to engage various community stakeholders, including schools, parents, companies, and science centers, in educational projects. It focuses on methods like design thinking, problem identification, and partnership building to develop community-driven initiatives. The session encourages active participation through practical challenges and discussions, fostering communication and project planning skills.