More than 600 students in Menorca to take part in the ‘Learn through Surfing’ programme

The educational programme “Learn through Surfing” returns to the beaches of Menorca with a new edition combining classroom learning and practical activities in the natural environment. The initiative, promoted by the non-profit environmental association Surf and Clean, is supported by Menorca Preservation, the Spanish Surfing Federation and the Consell Insular de Menorca, in collaboration with local organisations Paddle Tour Menorca and Surf & Sail Menorca.

In its sixth edition, the project expects to reach more than 600 pupils from 14 schools across the island, from Year 4 of primary school through to baccalaureate and UECO classrooms, strengthening their connection with the marine environment through direct experiences and hands-on learning.

Following the classroom sessions held in schools during March and April, the programme now enters one of its key phases: beach sessions, which will take place from May to early June in areas of high environmental value such as Algaiarens, Cala Tirant and Son Xoriguer.

During these outings, students will have the opportunity to explore the marine environment from a practical and reflective perspective: understanding how a beach is formed, identifying waste found in the sand, learning about the wildlife with which we share the space, and discovering how to respond when marine animals are in distress.

The objective is clear: to create a genuine bond with the sea that encourages respect and care for the environment. As David Blanco, coordinator of the educational project, points out: “we only protect what we know and love,” an idea that guides the entire programme.

The project is structured around three pillars: an online platform with educational content, dynamic sessions in schools, and experiential activities on the beach. Through this approach, values such as respect, empathy, inclusion and cooperation are addressed, while also promoting a more conscious relationship with the natural environment.

In addition to raising awareness among students, the initiative seeks to generate real changes in everyday habits, helping to reduce environmental issues such as waste pollution and the human impact on marine wildlife.

David Blanco, coordinator of the project, explains: “Surfing, also known as he‘enalu, sarán or tup, practised in the natural environment, is an excellent tool, not only educational but also therapeutic, both for those who practise it and for the natural environment. People who surf enjoy what is known as ‘saltwater therapy’, which improves their health. If they have also been educated in its values, most of which come from Indigenous peoples, they develop a different relationship with the environment in which they live. Practising it requires us to pay attention to natural conditions: winds, swells, accumulations of posidonia, the presence of jellyfish, and so on. It also works on values such as prevention, lifesaving, equality and inclusion, as it is an activity that everyone can do and is approached in a non-competitive way.”

A consolidated project on the island: more than 1,600 children have enjoyed the sea since it began in 2021

With six years of experience, Learn through Surfing has brought more than 1,600 children in Menorca closer to the beaches, establishing itself as one of the island’s leading marine environmental education initiatives and integrating collaboration between local organisations, public administrations and the education sector.

The support of Menorca Preservation strengthens the local nature of the project and broadens its reach, helping more and more young people on the island to develop a closer and more responsible relationship with the sea.

Rebecca Morris, director of Menorca Preservation, highlights that “supporting projects such as ‘Learn through Surfing’ allows us to act at the root: education. At Menorca Preservation, we believe that fostering an early connection with the marine environment is essential to strengthening the bond with our surroundings and moving towards a more respectful relationship with our ecosystems.”