SUBMARINER Network is part of the consortium organising “Islands in the Ocean Decade”, Special Event No. 13 of the 2027 Ocean Decade Conference in Rio de Janeiro, and the call for Individual Sessions is now open. The event takes place on 5 and 6 April 2027, just before the main Conference on 7 to 9 April, so that its outcomes can feed into the Conference and the Ocean Decade’s legacy beyond 2030.
For us, the event builds on Isla Bonita, the Horizon Europe project supporting nine islands across the Atlantic-Arctic, the Baltic and North Sea, and the Mediterranean to restore their seas. Within the project, SUBMARINER leads the Cross-Basin Task Force, making sure other islands can adapt what works on one. Because PLOCAN, the Isla Bonita coordinator, also leads the Special Event, Rio gives us the chance to take that exchange global.
That question of adaptation runs through the whole event. Rather than asking only whether a solution works elsewhere, it asks how communities can reshape it for different environmental, cultural, economic and governance settings.
What sessions are wanted
The organisers welcome proposals under eight sub-themes: Living Labs and co-design, Blue Schools and ocean literacy, fishers as guardians of island ecosystems, marine litter and the circular blue economy, effective Marine Protected Areas, scaling nature-based solutions, roadmaps and financing for island solutions, and an Early Career Ocean Professionals hackathon. Formats can range from panels and workshops to roundtables and demonstrations, as well as networking activities.
The call is open to public authorities, research institutions, NGOs, businesses, foundations and partnerships. In addition, the organisers strongly encourage joint proposals. Priority goes to proposals that bring in Small Island Developing States and island communities, local and Indigenous knowledge holders and practitioners such as fishers and educators, as well as a diversity of genders and career stages.
How to apply
Apply through the Individual Sessions portal by 8 November 2026, 23:59 UTC, selecting Special Event No. 13. Submit one application per session, in English. The organisers expect to announce results in December 2026. Before applying, however, read the Guidance Note and FAQ, and send any questions to event@oceandecade-conference.com.
If you know an island community, fishers’ association or early-career team with a story to tell, please share the call with them.
