May 7, 2025
One Ocean Week 2025: the ocean you don’t know
The ocean’s biggest blue week is back in Milan!
This morning, One Ocean Foundation, an international non-profit organization committed to marine conservation, unveiled the fourth edition of One Ocean Week Milan, taking place from May 22 to 25.
At the heart of the event will be the Ocean Sphere, a transparent dome set up in Piazza XXIV Maggio on the Darsena waterfront. This structure will serve as a true hub for the ocean—where science, culture, and innovation converge. This year, all activities will be concentrated in this space, transforming the Darsena into a vibrant meeting point between the public and the marine world. Inside, attendees will experience conferences, children’s labs, adult workshops, and evening film screenings—an immersive journey to discover the ocean and its vital role for the Planet.
The theme of this edition—"The Ocean You Don’t Know"—highlights a surprising fact: although the ocean hosts around 80% of the planet’s biodiversity, only 5% of it has been explored.
The 2025 edition will offer a multidisciplinary perspective on the ocean, covering topics from the future of food to strategies for a sustainable blue economy, and the power of art as a lens to reflect on the ocean’s wonders and vulnerabilities.
With the patronage of the Municipality of Milan and the support of numerous partners, the event will once again be entirely free and open to the public, positioning Milan as a forward-thinking city in sustainability and a proud ambassador of ocean values.
The opening day will feature the Italian launch of the Ocean Impact Initiative, the first global framework designed to measure the impact of various economic sectors on marine ecosystems. This tool is the result of a multi-year research project developed by One Ocean Foundation, in collaboration with SDA Bocconi, McKinsey & Company, and CSIC (Spanish National Research Council).
At the European level, the initiative will be presented on June 7 during the Blue Economy Finance Forum in Monte Carlo.
The schedule includes debates and round tables on key blue economy issues: the role of women in the sustainable transition, the current lack of a standardized methodology for blue carbon measurement in the Mediterranean, and inspiring case studies of startups and small businesses committed to regenerative economic models—such as Slow Fiber, born from the collaboration between Slow Food and pioneering Italian textile companies.
The event will host renowned Italian and international experts, including Stefano Pogutz, SDA Bocconi Professor, and Divaldo Rezende, Chairman of the Social Carbon Foundation, who will offer authoritative insights into the intersections of science, entrepreneurship, and governance.
There will be plenty of space dedicated to science, aiming to raise public awareness of research as a key driver to tackle today’s major environmental challenges.
One of the most anticipated announcements will be the expansion of the Blue Forest project in Sardinia. This initiative by One Ocean Foundation supports the protection and restoration of Posidonia oceanica, and with this expansion, it will become the largest marine reforestation operation in the Mediterranean.
The project will kick off thanks to a scientific partnership with the University of Sassari, the strategic support of Pirelli—the first mover that enabled its launch—and the contribution of Smeralda Holding, which strongly advocated for the reforestation activities in its mooring area.
The ocean’s story will also be told through the voices of environmental communicator Marco Spinelli, known for his long-standing documentary work on shark poaching; Andrea Morello, President of Sea Shepherd Italy; and popular influencer Johanna Maggy—each offering a personal, passionate take on the ocean that must be known, told, and above all, protected.
One Ocean Week aims to become a catalyst for a "blue educational shift", offering high-quality learning experiences for the next generation of ocean stewards.
In collaboration with the Civic Aquarium of Milan, Sea Shepherd Italy, Origamate, and the Menkab association, the week will feature a wide range of activities for children and families—a unique journey to discover marine animals, life at sea, and the importance of the water cycle.
The Darsena will transform into a captivating stage on water, where music, art, and cinema come together to celebrate the beauty and fragility of the ocean.
Throughout the event, the public can admire "Oceanic Humanity", a luminous site-specific installation by Avvassena, created especially for One Ocean Week. The work will consist of glowing Quadruslight cubes, each side displaying polychrome artworks blending two seemingly distant worlds: X-rays of the human body and microscopic images of oceanic plankton.
Guided by Anna Favella, actress and One Ocean Foundation Ambassador, each day will feature two highlights: Ocean Talks and Ocean Cinema, with a rich program of films, short films, and documentaries presented in collaboration with the Riviera International Film Festival and the Ocean Film Festival.
The cultural program will also include book presentations and yoga sessions inspired by the rhythm of the sea, offered by The Garden.
A major highlight of this year’s edition is the focus on "blue food", featured not only in talks and debates but also in interactive and experiential workshops. Thanks to the collaboration with chefs and startups, the spotlight will shine on the ocean as a key resource for future nutrition, promoting an approach that blends innovation, flavor, and marine ecosystem preservation.
Among the key figures: Michelin-starred chef Chiara Pavan and Barbara Nappini, President of Slow Food. Joining them will be promising ventures such as:
• Blueat, a startup founded by five young women promoting the commercialization of the blue crab;
• AlgaUlisse, a circular economy project based on Adriatic seaweeds;
• KelpEAT, the first Italian food-tech company to combine the nutritional power of European seaweed with cutting-edge food technologies.
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