SUNDAY 12TH JUNE

CEREMONY OF BLUE MANNEKEN PIS

2-2.30PM. IN FRONT OF THE MANNEKEN PIS.

The most famous boy in Belgium will wear its Surfrider Europe outfit to mark Ocean Week 2022. The Order of Friends of Manneken-Pis will pay tribute to the statue at 2pm with the ‘Ketje de Bruxelles’ (Brussels Kid) song in order to alert on the importance of protecting the Ocean. The Manneken-Pis will wear the outfit offered in 2010 by Surfrider Foundation Europe to celebrate at the time the 20th anniversary of the NGO. The NGO has been fighting in the last 30 years to drastically reduce plastic waste, move away from fossil fuels, fight against climate change and its impacts, and stop marine pollution and the damage to the ocean and coasts through advocacy, awareness-raising and education, events and local mobilisations. The outfit is made up of a board, a swimsuit and a tee-shirt. The Manneken-Pis will wear it from 9 until 6:00 PM.

Organised by Surfrider Foundation Europe.

With the participation of THE ORDER OF FRIENDS OF MANNEKEN-PIS and EUROCEAN’s YOUTH network

OCEAN INITIATIVE WITH EUROCEAN’S YOUTH AND CANAL IT UP

3-4.30PM. CANAL OF BRUSSELS

Every year, 8 million tons of waste end up in the biggest bin for modern societies: the ocean. 80% of this waste comes from inland. This pollution makes marine mammals choke to death, asphyxiates oceans, and creates threats to humankind, among the many harmful impacts on our environment. Most of this pollution is plastic. To stop marine litter and plastic pollution of the Ocean, change is needed now. Citizens, businesses, public institutions and governments; every level of society must all work together to transform the way we produce and consume to fight plastic pollution and preserve Ocean health.

On June 12th, a delegation from the EurOcean’s Youth network will team up with Surfrider Foundation Europe and Canal It Up to collect marine litter and most importantly data while kayaking on the Senne and Canal of Brussels.

They will use Plastic Origins app, as part of Surfrider Foundation Europe’s Plastic Origins program that combines science and sport to monitor plastic pollution in rivers and all water bodies. Using Microsoft’s geolocation software, anyone can monitor Europe’s water pollution to help build a comprehensive map which identifies high pollution areas and possible causes. With this data, we raise awareness among local authorities to influence change that stops plastic pollution at its source.