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Atlantic R&I Cooperation for a Sustainable Ocean: High-level Ministerial and Stakeholder Conference

In the framework of the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the European Unionthe Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education, the Ministry of the Sea and the Regional Government of the Azores, with the support of the European Commission, will organize, on June 3 and 4, 2021, in Ponta Delgada, the event Atlantic Cooperation in Research and Innovation for a sustainable Ocean: High-level Ministerial and Stakeholder Conference.

With the aim of promoting R&I cooperation across and along the Atlantic Ocean, from "Pole to Pole", and in a step forward in the work developed by the All-Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance, during two days, ministers, high-level representatives, researchers, young people, entrepreneurs, academics, civil society and other stakeholders will be meeting for a dialogue that will help strengthen the science diplomacy efforts initiated in 2011 at European level, with the launch of the Atlantic strategy and its first action plan (2013) and the signing of the declarations of Galway e Bethlehem (respectively in 2013 and 2017).

It will be an opportunity to discuss the progress of the current Atlantic-wide marine R&I cooperation, strengthen the vision of "Connect-Act-Cooperate for the Atlantic Ocean", launch an Atlantic-wide Pledging platform as a new approach to the existing cooperation and to provide solutions to accelerate the green and digital transitions towards a greener, fairer and more resilient society. The debate on new methodologies for ocean observation and ecosystem-based management linked to digitization processes represent an important and innovative step in the integration of the Ocean-Space-Climate-Food Nexus for the sustainability of the oceans.

The ministerial dimension of the conference coupled with dynamic stakeholder participation and side events will help leverage Atlantic R&I Cooperation through two important deliverables, the Conference Declaration of the Portuguese EU Presidency and the Atlantic Pledging Platform, with a view to strengthening and contributing to European Ecological Pact , to Mission for Horizon Europe Starfish 2030: Restoring our Oceans and Wateras well as to United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development.

We look forward to your participation on June 3-4, 2021. Stay tuned for more information at www.allatlantic2021.eu.