The school project "Message in a Bottle" gives children and young people the opportunity to put forward their ideas for saving the ocean. This week, Statsraad Lehmkuhl sailed to San Francisco where they met schoolchildren from Drew School who have developed the project in collaboration with One Ocean Expedition.
When Statsraad Lehmkuhl left the quay in Bergen during One Ocean Week in April this year, they brought with them a message in a bottle with clear messages to leaders and politicians signed by schoolchildren from Storetveit and Åstveit schools. Together with VilVite, they created one of many messages from children and young people that are collected where the sailing ship docks. The aim is to display the messages in bottles from all over the world during One Ocean Week 2026, when the One Ocean Expedition returns home to Bergen.
Message in a Bottle
- "For me, Message in a Bottle is about giving children and young people a voice in the work for the ocean. When I see the same enthusiasm and curiosity among students in Bergen and San Francisco, I am reminded of how important it is to work together across countries and cultures to create a more sustainable future for the ocean," says Marte Mjånes Torkildsen at VilVite.
Here in San Francisco, where she met with students from the Drew School who delivered her message. Also present were the mayor of San Francisco and the Norwegian consul general, who, together with Captain Marcus Seidl, received the message.
- The project is an important reminder that cooperation across national borders really matters when working for a sustainable ocean," says Torkildsen.
The project is being carried out by Statsraad Lehmkuhl in collaboration with Drew School, which has developed the school assignments. VilVite hosted the first workshop in Bergen in April 2025.
