The event brought together people committed to protecting oceans, rivers, and lakes. From 1:00 PM to 6:00 PM, visitors enjoyed a diverse program featuring art, design, education, and interactive experiences.
The animated posters created by our Information Design students (Intake IND25) offered a special visual experience. Presented on large screens within custom-designed ocean-themed frames, they combined art, movement, and environmental messages, captivating numerous visitors.
The exhibition also featured the animated film “Who Owns the Sea?” by Information Design alumni Angelina Djukic and Rahel Schuiki. The short film explores the various meanings and uses of the sea—as a habitat, a place of recreation, a source of energy, property, a boundary, and, increasingly, a site of human intervention.
On display were works by artist Lea Dora Fricke and biologist and illustrator Elena Turac, among others. Photographs and cyanotypes of algae offered new perspectives on the beauty and significance of aquatic habitats.
Christian Fuchs’s conservation computer game provided playful entertainment. During a virtual dive, players collected trash from the seabed without touching marine animals or depleting their oxygen supply. At the end of the day, the high score revealed who had contributed most successfully to the virtual ocean cleanup.
Numerous organizations presented their work and invited visitors to engage in dialogue:
- Seen Blue Conservation, the festival’s organizing body, presented its current campaign, “Beaches & Beyond.” Interactive stations provided information about coastal habitats and highlighted ways to actively support the protection of waterways. The program was complemented by films, stories, podcasts, art, and hands-on activities.
- MareMundi, an Austrian marine conservation organization focused on research, education, and species protection, presented its projects and brought its work to life through interactive formats.
- The Sustainable Ocean Alliance Austria demonstrated how young people worldwide and in Austria are developing and implementing innovative solutions for ocean conservation.
- Sharkproject International provided information on the ecological importance of sharks and the challenges of their conservation.
- The Mediterranean Education and Research Association (MERA) presented its Sea You project and demonstrated how education and research can contribute to the protection of marine ecosystems.
- OceanBlue presented conservation and cleanup projects and highlighted how community engagement can bring about positive change.
- NaturDive offered virtual dives through seagrass beds in the Mediterranean and screened an impressive documentary in the evening.
Film Program and Panel Discussion
From 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Ocean & Water Day was dedicated to moving stories about nature and marine conservation.
The film Where Devils Return by Jasmine Corbett was screened. The film takes viewers to one of the few places in the world where endangered scalloped eagle rays gather seasonally, drawing attention to the vulnerability of these extraordinary animals.
In She for the Sea by Sabine M. Probst Saavedra, the focus is on women who are committed to protecting the oceans in a variety of ways, offering inspiring perspectives on environmental activism.
Beavers About Town by Yaz Ellis and Jack Mifflin tells the story of the remarkable European beavers that have discovered Vienna as their habitat and showcases their astonishing adaptability to urban environments.
With One Million Leaves Under the Sea by Ioana Stoicescu, the audience was immersed in the world of an underwater garden and its dedicated caretakers.
Between the film screenings, a panel discussion was held on the topic “How can social media, film, podcasts, and digital media be used to protect the oceans?” Sabine M. Probst Saavedra and Rasa’s Welt discussed how modern media can reach people, raise awareness, and promote concrete action to protect our waters.
Ocean & Water Day 2026 impressively demonstrated how art, science, education, and civic engagement can work together. The festival created a space for encounters, exchange, and inspiration, and made it clear that the protection of oceans, rivers, and lakes is a shared responsibility.
