Stories of the Sea (SoS) is an EU-funded Erasmus+ project working to strengthen sustainability and resilience in coastal communities. Through an innovative training programme, SoS explores the skills and mindsets people need to thrive amid climate change, social transitions, and economic shifts.
Bringing together partners from across Europe, SoS uses place-based education, storytelling, and civic engagement to reconnect communities with the sea. The goal: to empower people as agents of change and support coastal regions in shaping a more inclusive, sustainable future.
Goal
Coastal areas face complex, overlapping pressures—from rising seas and biodiversity loss to shrinking cultural traditions and local economies. SoS responds with a community-led approach that blends sustainability education and storytelling, helping people take ownership of local solutions. It aligns with key EU priorities such as the Green Deal, the 2030 Biodiversity Strategy, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals, bridging policy with lived experience.
Description
At the heart of SoS is a co-designed methodology that integrates social, economic, environmental, and cultural perspectives. The project will equip VET and community trainers with tools to support local development and expand their impact across Europe’s coastal regions. SoS helps reinforce community ties to the sea—as a source of identity, livelihood, and resilience.
Results and activities in the project are regularly updated on the Stories of the Sea website.
Project partners:
Aalborg Universitet (Denmark) – Lead partner
Læsø Turist – og Erhvervsforening (Denmark)
Sineglossa (Italy)
Bulgarska Fondatsiya Bioraznoobrazie (Bulgaria)
Stimmuli for Social Change (Greece)
EUCC – Die Küsten Union Deutschland e.V. (Germany)
The project is funded by the EU.
