ISN Receives "Engaged for Ocean" Label at the 2024 Nice Climate Summit

The need to actively safeguard our ocean has never been more crucial.

By Michelle Van Buuren

The International School of Nice (ISN) attended the 2024 Nice Climate Summit, held on 26-27 September at the Palais de la Méditerranée, for the second consecutive year. The event, which focused on the theme “Protecting the Ocean, Safeguarding Humanity,” brought together international experts, policymakers, and environmental advocates, with ISN students actively involved throughout.

ISN International Baccalaureate CAS students welcomed attendees to the summit. In addition, Grade 11 and 12 ISN students showcased their innovative projects at the school’s table. Featured were their Junk Kouture “From Coastline to Wasteline” dress, made entirely from recycled materials, symbolising the critical role of creativity in marine conservation, and the cutting-edge hi!ai Chatbot, which attracted significant attention by answering questions about climate change and ocean conservation. These initiatives allowed the students to highlight their commitment to environmental stewardship.

As a proud member of Globeducate, which has a Global Agenda and works towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), ISN continuously seeks opportunities to align its educational initiatives with sustainability and environmental protection. The students’ participation in the summit perfectly reflected this mission. ISN student, Killian Karrenbauer says, "The Nice Climate Summit brought together people from all over the world, all passionate about finding real solutions to climate change. It was inspiring to see so many different perspectives come together with one shared goal... to create a sustainable future for everyone." Isis Lelaure adds, “ESS is a subject that brings ecology, politics, biology and humanities together. The climate summit is the real world version of ESS with people from around the world all working for the same cause. As a student, there is no experience as immersive and interesting as this.”

The ISN students were also able to attend many of the presentations and debates, which were of great interest to our Global Initiatives and Environmental Studies cohort. ISN students were honoured to meet influential figures like Mr. Christian Estrosi, Mayor of Nice, and Mrs. Maty Diouf, Deputy Mayor of Nice. The summit also provided an opportunity for students to engage in meaningful discussions with Mr. Laurent Anselmi, from Académie de la Mer de Monaco, opening doors for future collaboration on geopolitical topics related to oceans and seas.

Summarising her experience at the summit, Uliana Ognyannikova, one of ISN’s Global Politics and Environmental Systems & Societies (ESS) students, shared: “Participating in such a remarkable and unique event was not only eye-opening but also inspiring. Not only did we have the opportunity to talk to politicians, innovators, and writers, but the conferences were truly riveting. From geopolitics to fashion to space-travel, it felt like the conversation topics went as deep as the ocean itself. My personal favourite conference was one on scientists and their role in diplomacy, where they talked about how the role of a researcher in politics has changed over the last few decades. It provided useful insight for both my coursework and satisfied my personal curiosity. Additionally, I was overjoyed to help the organisers out alongside my classmates. Having a tangible impact on such a momentous occasion was truly an honour."

A highlight of the summit was when Thomas Capiten, president of Engaged for Ocean, presented ISN with the prestigious "Engaged for Ocean" label, a recognition of the school’s dedication to ocean conservation. This label symbolises the creation of a strong, valuesdriven community, uniting students, educators, and administrators committed to environmental stewardship. Capiten remarked, "The need to actively safeguard our ocean has never been more crucial. Faced with the scale of the challenges, it is young people who, tomorrow, will have the heavy burden of preserving this fragile heritage and building a sustainable civilizational model that depends on it. This is why the involvement of the International School of Nice deserves our gratitude and recognition. This school accomplishes much more than raising awareness: it educates global citizens, ready to defend our planet and our ocean with conviction, sincerity, and skills."

Reflecting on the summit, Director of ISN Mel Curtis noted, “Our students’ involvement in the Nice Climate Summit reflects our deep commitment to sustainability and global citizenship. It was an invaluable experience for them to engage with international leaders and present their own projects. Receiving the Engaged for Ocean Label is a recognition of the hard work our students and staff have put into ocean conservation efforts.”

Mrs. Maty Diouf, Deputy Mayor of Nice, echoed the importance of collaboration, stating, “I greatly appreciate the involvement of the International School of Nice and its students, with whom the City of Nice, through my delegations, unites our voices and actions. Together we can create a world where everyone, regardless of their gender, has the opportunity to fully flourish.”

As the school looks ahead to the UNOC2025 Conference, it remains dedicated to empowering its students to become future leaders in environmental advocacy, continuing to inspire positive change for the protection of our planet’s oceans.