Genova becomes a hub for ocean action as The Ocean Race brings a week of inspiring events to Italy
by The Ocean Race 19 Jan 15:40 UTC
26-30 January 2026
The Ocean Race brings a week of inspiring events to Italy © The Ocean Race
From the cinematic power of Sir David Attenborough's storytelling to bold conversations between young ocean leaders and global decision-makers at The Ocean Race Summit and the first Generation Ocean Symposium, The Ocean Race is transforming Genova into a centre of ocean action the week of 26-30 January with three major Ocean Health activities designed to inform, inspire and mobilise the next generation.
All three events form part of The Ocean Race's Racing for the Ocean programme, the race's long-term commitment to protecting and restoring ocean health by combining elite sport with science, education and advocacy.
Register here
The Ocean Race Summit Genova: Nudging the New Ocean Society
On Wednesday 28 January, attention turns to the future with The Ocean Race Summit Genova: Nudging the New Ocean Society, running from 11am to 2pm at the iconic Palazzo Ducale in the heart of the city.
Hosted by Avatar actress and Environmental Advocate Bailey Bass, the Summit brings together young ocean advocates and experienced global leaders, including sailors, scientists, entrepreneurs and policymakers, for a new kind of dialogue. Instead of traditional speeches, the event is designed as a participative, two-way exchange, where generations and disciplines meet on equal ground.
Participants include keynote speaker Mariasole Bianco, Marine Scientist, Communicator, and President of Worldrise, who will set the stage with a vision for a healthier, more sustainable ocean. Panel discussions will feature Francesca Santoro, Senior Programme Officer at IOC-UNESCO; Elisabetta Balzi, Active Senior at the European Commission DG Research and Innovation; Manon Peyre, 49erFX Junior World Champion and Ocean Race sailor; and Adélaïde Charlier, Belgian climate activist.
Through two mirrored sessions, local and international youth voices will chat with established leaders to explore how collaboration, innovation and fresh thinking can help create a healthier ocean and a more sustainable ocean economy. The aim is not only to share ideas, but to generate practical pathways for youth to help shape real-world ocean policy and action.
Register here
Empowering the next generation: the first Generation Ocean Symposium
The week concludes on Thursday 29 January with a major milestone for The Ocean Race's youth engagement work: the first Generation Ocean Symposium, hosted at Deledda International School.
Organised in collaboration with Target4Green's Beyond COP21 Symposium series and the school itself, the full-day event will immerse students and educators in topics such as ocean literacy, climate action and youth leadership. Through interactive workshops, STEAM-based learning, futures thinking and hands-on activities, participants will explore how classroom learning connects directly to the planet's most pressing environmental challenges.
The symposium reflects the spirit of Racing for the Ocean by empowering young people not just to learn about the ocean, but to become active stewards of its future. It also marks the launch of what The Ocean Race hopes will become a growing international series of Generation Ocean events.
With Genova as its stage at the end of the month, The Ocean Race is proving that protecting the ocean is not just about sailing across the ocean, it is about racing for the ocean. The week's events bring together film, dialogue, arts and education to ensure that the voices shaping the future of our ocean are informed, inspired and ready to lead.