Kids Save Ocean – Giving Children a Voice for the Ocean

Kids Save Ocean is a nonprofit environmental education initiative based in Vienna, Austria, dedicated to empowering children and young people to become active participants in protecting the world's oceans.Founded by art and biology teacher Peder Hill, the organization began with a simple but powerful idea: children should not only learn about environmental problems but also have a meaningful voice in solving them.

The Last Whale – Turning Plastic Waste into a Message

In 2016, Peder Hill and his 12-year-old students began creating a five-meter-long humpback whale sculpture made from discarded plastic and other waste. The project was designed to raise awareness about the devastating impact of plastic pollution on marine ecosystems. The sculpture, known as The Last Whale, attracted attention and was subsequently exhibited at major institutions, including the United Nations in Vienna and the Haus des Meeres aquarium.

Children's Clean Ocean Summit

Inspired by their experience, the students wanted to do more than create an artwork. Together with their teacher, they organized the Children's Clean Ocean Summit at the United Nations in Vienna in June 2018. Nearly 300 young participants from six Austrian schools discussed ocean plastic pollution, explored potential solutions and developed a declaration expressing their environmental priorities. The summit demonstrated that children can contribute meaningful ideas to environmental discussions when given the opportunity.

FateChanger – From Education to Action

Kids Save Ocean also developed FateChanger, a digital platform designed to help young people learn about ocean pollution, climate change, biodiversity and sustainability. The app aims to connect environmental education with civic engagement by encouraging young people to express their views and participate in campaigns addressing environmental policy.

Empowering the Next Generation

Through educational initiatives, creative exhibitions and digital participation tools, Kids Save Ocean encourages children to see themselves as active changemakers. Its central message is simple: protecting the ocean is not only the responsibility of governments and scientists. Young people deserve the knowledge, confidence and opportunity to help shape the future of our planet.

Photo Credits by: @Kidssaveocean
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