Surfrider’s Campus program is always active in the summer season. Aimed at raising environmental awareness among young and old, the campus organizes a range of activities across Europe. Here is an overview of the main events planned this summer, both on the coastline and in the city.
Escape Game in the heart of nature
This year’s treasure hunt will focus on the biodiversity, history and geography of the Arcachon basin. The educational objective is to highlight the beauty of its biodiversity, which includes species so tiny that they often forgotten. This natural area harbors a great biodiversity of ecosystems which is important to maintain. Even if they cannot always readily be seen, these ecosystems are essential to nature’s balance, including its food chains.
Some signs that may seem trivial at first can point towards a disturbance of this balance. It is just as important to notice what we do not as, as it is what we do. For example, are insects or frogs present in the water? If not, it indicates a problem. These disturbances that can be observed are mainly due to pollution. It’s a cause-and-effect relationship, sometimes little known, for which we must increase awareness.
Ciné’Ma Plage Festival
For the third consecutive year, the Mediterranean division of Surfrider Europe is organizing its outdoor cinema. Five free movie screenings related to the environment will be organized on «Plage du Prophète » in Marseille.
The movie projections will be held at sunset every Wednesday in August as well as the first Wednesday of September. Short and feature length films will be played by experts followed by public talks.
Art Campus and Ocean Pavilion at Surfrider
Art has always been a great vehicle for communication and expression. As part of Surfrider’s DNA, art has always helped to educate and raise awareness for our oceans. The emotion that an artwork can provoke is often more effective than words.
This is the reason why, as part of the Ocean Pavilion from 20 to 23 August in the lead-up to the G7, Surfrider Europe has entrusted 3 artists to re-develop the space of its headquarters in Biarritz. Esteban Richard, designer, visual artist and scientific mediator in marine biology, originally from Belle-Île-en-Mer, will transform the Art Campus space with his “Totem” installation. Sculptures made of iron and plastic found on our coastlines will populate the premises of Surfrider for one month from 21 August, symbolizing the impoverishment of our oceans.
Mister Ride and Green Dog, who have been with us since June, are doing us the honor of decorating the facades of storage containers in the parking lot of Surfrider’s headquarters. Using recycled synthetic grass, Mister Ride, who is a French artist interested in all things natural, wanted to represent forms and silhouettes inspired by oceanic images. His art work is blended with the work of Green Dog; surfer, painter and member of the Obey collective, who has worked to cover the containers with a poetic fresco with whales, turtles and other marine species.
The collaboration with artists has always been an integral part of Surfrider Europe’s actions. It’s an essential part of creating full awareness of the environmental issues that the ocean faces. As such, art provides another unique way to grasp the topics that will be discussed as part of Ocean Pavilion. Through sensory stimulation, these works can awaken our dormant and undiscovered emotions and intuitions.
