NAJWA RAHM

Algeria — Participants in the evening agreed on the importance of involving youth in protecting the sea and coast, enhancing environmental awareness through science and digital media, affirming that citizen initiatives such as the "Blue Festival" are capable of transforming awareness into tangible collective action.

The headquarters of "Dzair Incubator" in Algiers hosted, yesterday, Friday, August 7, a scientific and cultural discussion evening to mark the opening of the second edition of the "Blue Festival" initiative, attended by researchers and actors in the environmental and marine fields, in addition to young environmental activists.

The evening was held under the slogan "Live Life in Blue," celebrating the Mediterranean Sea and reinforcing awareness of the importance of protecting the sea and coast. The opening program included a presentation of the initiative, a collective viewing session, along with a roundtable that allowed open discussions and exchange of views among participants.

The discussions centered on a number of issues related to the marine environment, including the role of social media as a tool for initiative and social change, and how young people can employ it to spread awareness and transform ambition and will into tangible actions.

The evening also addressed the theme of harnessing science in service of the Mediterranean environment, through an intervention by researcher and marine science doctor Asia Ben Fegoul, who discussed the importance of scientific knowledge in understanding the challenges facing the sea and marine ecosystems.

The roundtable provided a space for collective reflection on the citizen's relationship with the sea and coast, and individual and collective responsibility in preserving this natural heritage, especially in light of the environmental challenges facing coastal areas.

For her part, Yasmin Laqrib, founder of the "Blue Festival," affirmed that the initiative, in its second edition, continues to work on consolidating a culture of sea and coast protection by involving citizens and youth in awareness-raising, educational, artistic, sporting, and participatory activities. She noted that the festival as a citizen and environmental initiative is dedicated to protecting the Algerian sea and coast, and through its various activities, it seeks to raise public awareness, motivate and encourage citizens to take tangible actions to preserve Algerian maritime heritage.

She also affirmed that the initiative is a vision led by a team of young people engaged in environmental and community work, and falls within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 14 (ODD 14) concerning life below water, with the ambition to transform the festival into a national citizen movement dedicated to protecting the sea and coast in Algeria.

The second edition of the "Blue Festival" confirms, according to its organizers, that sea protection is not only the responsibility of institutions, but a societal issue requiring awareness and genuine citizen participation, alongside the role of science, culture, art, and digital media in shaping this awareness.