Project Activity 6: Dissemination of knowledge and best practices, public awareness and visibility

(as stated in the progress report # 1 January 2016 – 31 July 2016)

The overall aim of this PA is to develop the Project ownership, visibility, ensure targeted as well as wide dissemination of the project deliverables and outputs. In the EMBLAS I the basic elements related to the project visual identity contributing to its visibility were established – website with intranet, logo, leaflet and newsletters. EMBLAS-II is extending the visibility related activities, preparing comprehensive dissemination plan, capacity building activities, with wider involvement of relevant stakeholders, including NGOs and general public, project approach and methodology.

Progress of work and delivered results

The key element of the PA 6 is the preparation of the project Communication Strategy and Dissemination Plan, which is outlining the overall communication messages, visibility activities, tools used for communication and dissemination of the project results, as well as joint format of all visibility products. A targeted “Communication strategy and Dissemination plan for the Joint Black Sea Surveys 2016” has been prepared for the monitoring cruises and presented to the Project Steering Committee in March 2016.

The main effort during the 1st half of 2016 in Project Activity 6 was focused on developing specific public relations activities aimed at promotion of the project’s key components – the monitoring cruises (Joint Open Sea Survey and National Pilot Monitoring Studies), their effect and results, dissemination of data. They included the preparation of presentation/PR materials, to be used and disseminated during the cruises. They included development of the Joint Black Sea surveys special identity project banner and promotional items for the surveys – t-shirts, caps, textile bags to reduce the amount of plastic and bracelets. The project developed brochures in Ukrainian and Georgian regarding the uniqueness of the Joint Black Sea surveys conducted (see at http://emblasproject.org/publications-reports). The project communication activities were supported by the Public Relations Expert. It is intended that as a result of the public relations activities the project will successfully demonstrate the importance of the joint monitoring surveys in the region and raise public interest to their results.

Two press conferences were organised during the Joint Black Sea Surveys Georgia-Ukraine in Odessa (23 May 2016) and Batumi (27 May 2016). Both press conferences were attended by the national and regional authorities, public and had excellent national and regional media coverage (a summary report on media coverage from the two press conferences is available at http://emblasproject.org/archives/1480).

As a part of the activities planned with involvement of public, education and scientific institutions, ‘Environmental sentinels’ education campaign has been carried out in Odessa on 17 May 2016 with participation of ca. 50 children from three selected schools. Brochures for sentinels in Russian were prepared and distributed to all participants before the field exercise on the beach of ‘Molodaya gvardia’ youth camp. The winners of the competition were invited to the press conference in Odessa and to visit the survey ship.

The project team closely cooperated with the communications teams from UNDP Country Offices of Georgia and Ukraine, as well as with the EU Delegations. Press releases were prepared as well (see at http://emblasproject.org/activity-6). A package of PR tools (T-shirts, caps, bags and wristbands with logos of Joint Black Sea Surveys) has been delivered in August to RF to support their NPMS.

The short film on the NPMS/JOSS GE-UA surveys has been prepared and upgraded for new input from the UNDP. Final version is expected in September 2016.

A plan for various PR activities is being prepared in relation to organisation of the Black Sea Clean Beach Day in GE, RF, UA in September/October 2016.

The project website has been significantly upgraded under the supervision of the project’s PR expert. Also the links at the web-sites of the Project partners and EMBLAS project have been created (see at http://www.sea.gov.ua/).

Planned activities until the end 2016

As a follow-up on the “Environmental Sentinels” campaign, a Sentinels training led by IMB is planned on 23-24 of September 2016, in connection with the Black Sea Clean Beach Day.

Black Sea Clean Beach Day in Ukraine will be organized in the National nature park “Biloberezhya Svyatoslava”, Kinburn split (Ramsar site https://rsis.ramsar.org/ris/116 ) on 24 September 2016. It will be include presenting and trainings how to fill protocols on marine litter (using mobile application Marine Litter Watch developed by EEA) and how to assess the environmental status of the Black Sea by ecological sentinels, collection of waste from the beaches (including removal of the large illegal landfill at the Important Bird Area), fish stocking (restoration of the population of the selected marine fish) etc. PR experts from RF and Georgia will participate to ensure unified approach in all Black Sea countries.

Black Sea Clean Beach Day in Russian Federation and Georgia are planned at the beginning of October 2016, combined with Sentinels training under the supervision of IMB and special programmes for children (quest presenting the history of the Black Sea investigation and monitoring).

Brochures for Sentinels will be translated in the otheer national languages and English. The mobile application on the Sentinels watch will be developed following the example of the Marine Litter Watch application with on-line collection of results from all Black Sea countries hosted by IMB.

Short films on Joint Black Sea Surveys (UA-GE) and on NPMS RF (Sochi area) will be finalized.

The project will continue with further development of additional PR activities, including permanent update of the project website and social media. It is planned to establish a special facebook page of the fans of the Black Sea (as far as the current UNDP Policy does not favour a special facebook page of the projects), where in easy words to share the interesting facts and findings about the Black Sea. Planned information for the facebok will include also the extracts from the future brochure “Secrets of the Black Sea”, to be developed jointly with IMB. The main goal of these activities to raise interest and emotional connection with the Black Sea and its inhabitants, which could be further transformed into the public actions or at least support to the new legal initiatives on the implementation of the MSFD.

Overview on overall deliverables

  1. Project Dissemination Plan (read here)
  2. Project Webpage (maintain and sustain) – you are here
  3. Project banner, leaflet
  4. ‘Environmental sentinels’ education campaign (see Black Sea Save Book and additional information)
  5. Brochure about the Joint Black Sea surveys (in Ukrainian, in Georgain)
  6. Brochure about the Ecological Sentinels of the Black Sea (in Ukrainian/English, in Georgain/English, in Russian/English)
  7. Newsletters
  8. End-users Core Group (List with contact details)
  9. Press releases                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Odessa JOSS press announcement in English and Ukrainian.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Batumi JOSS press announcement in English and Georgian.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Final post-press-release in English.

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