"Message in a Bottle" is a global educational project and part of One Ocean Expedition. Along the entire sailing route, students work with the ocean, climate, and sustainability—through topics such as marine research, climate change, and solutions for a more sustainable future. The project was developed by the Drew School in San Francisco and invites students to combine academic knowledge with creative exploration.
Through the teaching program, students create their own "bottle mail": everything from personal messages and artistic expressions to data, observations, and analyses. Along the way, schools also have digital meetings with the research coordinator aboard theStatsraad Lehmkuhl, who shares fresh glimpses of the scientific work on the expedition.
When the ship docks, school classes are invited on board to deliver their contributions. All the messages in bottles are collected on board and will accompany the ship all the way home – to Bergen and One Ocean Week in April 2026. The goal is simple: to highlight young people's reflections, concerns, ideas, and hopes for the future of the ocean.
Through Flaskeposten, we get to hear what young people think and feel – not only about the challenges facing the ocean, but also about the hope they carry. This goes right to the heart of One Ocean Expedition: engaging and sharing knowledge about the ocean. Young people are the future, and their voices matter. It's fantastic that the expedition can highlight them, and we look forward to receiving contributions from all over the world – and showcasing them when the ship returns to Bergen during One Ocean Week, says Haakon Vatle, director of the Lehmkuhl Foundation and expedition leader for One Ocean Expedition.
Young voices along the sailing route
The messages in bottles that have already been received show great diversity – and great enthusiasm. The contributions range from:
- documentary films and scientific reports on microplastics
- creative texts, illustrations, and art projects
- handwritten messages and calls to protect the ocean
The first messages in bottles were delivered by two secondary schools in Bergen before departure in April. Since then, contributions have poured in from Iceland, Canada, the USA, Mexico, and other countries.
The crew of the Statsraad Lehmkuhl find it moving to meet children and young people on board and see their enthusiasm – how they share both their concerns and hopes for the future of the ocean.
Before the Statsraad Lehmkuhl returns to Bergen next spring, the expedition hopes to receive contributions from Portugal, France, and Ireland as well. Finally, even more schools in Bergen will deliver their messages in bottles when the ship enters Vågen during One Ocean Week 2026.
All contributions will also be presented on the expedition's website.
Exhibition during One Ocean Week 2026
A special Message in a Bottle exhibition is planned for One Ocean Week 2026. This will showcase student work from Norway and the rest of the world, including texts, art, films, reports, and creative projects.
The aim is to give the public a genuine insight into what children and young people think about the future of the ocean – and to highlight young voices at a time when their perspectives are more important than ever.
The project would like to express its sincere gratitude for the support provided by the GC Rieber Foundations.
