Aquarium Inauguration (Porto)

Event Background

In the framework of the Idea Challenge, the Green European Foundation invited young people aged 16 – 24 from Croatia, Czechia and Portugal to submit their ideas which aim to make their own neighborhood or local community more open, democratic, inclusive, and ultimately European. Three winning ideas from the three countries were selected and are now in the process of implementing their projects.

About the event

This project by João – 23 years old Aquatic Science student from Porto, pulls together technological, social and environmental dimensions, as he will build an aquarium integrated with a floating island at the Porto Escola Básica Augusto Gil high school .

The installation of the aquarium will involve Marine and Biotechnology Science students and the students of the high school. The aquarium intends to raise awareness about freshwater ecosytems, which are particularly vulnerable to climate change: many species within these fragmented habitats have limited abilities to disperse as the environment changes;  water temperature and availability are climate-dependent;  many systems are already exposed to numerous anthropogenic stressors.

The aquarium will be inaugurated over June 5th & 6th, on World Environment Day and in the run-up to World Oceans Day. Students will receive presentations on climate change and Portuguese freshwater fish, presented by João and Dr. Cristina Calheiros.  The students will also have the opportunity to help in the installation of plants in the aquarium and learn more about how it works.

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