The Ocean Race Summit Genova and the Generation Ocean Symposium: New ideas from younger generations
by The Ocean Race 9 May 11:41 BST
November 2025
Elisabetta Balzi, Danni Washington, Emanuela Rusciano - 27th June 2023, Sailors Terrace, Ocean Live Park, Genova, Italy. The Ocean Race Summit Genova © Cherie Bridges / The Ocean Race
The Ocean Race Summit Genova and the Generation Ocean Symposium, an ambitious three-day event, will take place in Genova, Italy in November 2025.
The events are dedicated to connecting generations and inspiring action for ocean health, with a focus on new ideas from diverse voices with an emphasis on listening to younger generations. The events will bring together early career ocean leaders and advocates, and blue economy innovators in an international effort to create a sustainable future for the ocean.
The Ocean Race Summit Genova - Generation Ocean, will create an opportunity for younger generations to be heard and contribute towards solutions to the most important challenges facing the ocean. Following the Summit, the Generation Ocean Symposium will engage young ocean advocates and educators, ensuring that the next generations have a seat at the table and the tools to drive positive change.
The Summit will bring together experts, policymakers, and changemakers to highlight bold solutions for ocean conservation and sustainable marine economies. Participants will include leading ocean professionals, successful blue economy start-ups, researchers, and storytelling figures.
"It is exciting for The Ocean Race Summits to be highlighting the new ideas, the energy and the passion of younger voices in the dialogue about ocean issues. And the truth is, we need it," said Richard Brisius, Race Chairman of The Ocean Race. "There are great things happening in the movement to restore a balanced relationship between humanity and the ocean, and in many cases, it is youth who are leading the way. We need to listen and learn and take action."
The Generation Ocean Symposium, held in collaboration with Target4Green's Beyond COP21 Symposium, will offer young people and educators a platform to explore ocean stewardship through expert engagement and community action. Hosted at a local school, the symposium will provide school age students the opportunity to collaborate with seasoned ocean advocates and industry leaders.
"The Generation Ocean Symposium in Genova, delivered in collaboration with Target4Green, will be an exciting opportunity to engage with local schools and hear directly from young people'' said Rebecca White, Senior Learning Advisor for The Ocean Race. ''Their ideas and energy will help spark meaningful conversations and highlight the importance of youth-led action for ocean protection and sustainability. Together with The Ocean Race Summit Genova and its focus on younger leaders, these events work to amplify the voices of the next generation and inspire collective action for the ocean.''
By fostering multigenerational dialogue and engagement, the two events will showcase the strength of the ocean community drawing inspiration from the spirit of ocean racing and its core values of teamwork, resilience and collaboration.
"Over the past five years, The Ocean Race Summits in Genova and the Genova Process have already resulted in significant progress towards a Universal Declaration of Ocean Rights," said Marco Bucci, the President of the Region of Liguria. "Now we need to bring in the younger generation who feel the impact of the changing climate but also have the creative solutions to make a real difference to ocean health. When we collaborate across generations, we get better outcomes. That's what this edition of The Ocean Race Summit and the Generation Ocean Symposium is all about."
This will be the third time The Ocean Race Summits have come to Genova. This new Summit is part of the wider initiative that sees The Ocean Race Europe coming to the city for a stopover at the beginning of September this year.