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Boris Herrmann

We compete on the highest level in the toughest races, inspire action & create awareness and highlight solutions to the climate crisis.

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More than 2100 children across Germany joined a live, interactive climate education event today, hosted by Team Malizia’s My Ocean Challenge, UNICEF Germany and the Deichtorhallen Hamburg. The hybrid event combined science, sailing, and art to explore the vital connection between climate change, Ocean health and children’s rights, and to inspire hope for a better, more sustainable future. Key speakers included offshore sailor Boris Herrmann, Ocean educator Birte Lorenzen-Herrmann, youth activist Sophia Ivanova and UNICEF Germany's executive director Christian Schneider as well as support from artist Lola Bott. 

 - 100 children from local schools filled the Deichtorhallen Hamburg, joined by a further 2100 children across Germany tuning in virtually from their classrooms. Timed to take place around World Ocean Day, which was marked on the 8th of June this year, Team Malizia, UNICEF, and Deichtorhallen partnered to invite children aged 8-12 to learn about the Ocean, its role in climate change and our lives on Earth and what rights children have in relation to the Ocean and its protection.

The programme opened with a welcome from Birte Lorenzen-Herrmann, founder of Team Malizia’s 

education programme. She then introduced Boris Herrmann, two-time Vendée Globe competitor and skipper of Team Malizia, who shared stories of life aboard 

, sailing in some of the planet’s most remote and extreme Ocean environments. While the racing may be thrilling, Boris Herrmann stressed that Team Malizia’s greater mission lies in raising awareness for climate action and collecting Ocean data while they race around the world. The children were captivated, eagerly asking questions about his adventures and the Ocean. Smiling, Boris Herrmann said: “You know more about the Ocean and the climate than many adults!” 

This is where Birte Lorenzen-Herrmann stepped back in, expanding on the scientific background of the Ocean and its role in global warming, touching upon greenhouse gasses and the adverse and dispersed effects of climate change. Characteristic of the

 education programme is its on eye-level approach to educating children on serious topics such as climate change, never downplaying the severity of its impacts, however focusing strongly on solutions and empowering children with a hopeful outlook and a “suitcase” full of concrete actions they can take to help mitigate climate change.

To bring the message of youth empowerment to life, young UNICEF activist Sophia Ivanova took the stage to share the connection between climate change, Ocean protection and children’s rights. Asked about children’s rights, she explained: "All children's rights are important, but the most important to me is the right to education, because education is the foundation for leading an independent life". 

Continuing this discussion, Birte Lorenzen-Herrmann invited Christian Schneider, Executive Director of UNICEF Germany, to put this in relation to children around the world. He emphasised that one in three children worldwide now lives in an area facing high water scarcity, a figure that is expected to rise as the impacts of climate change intensify. Drawing from conversations with affected families, he stated: “Climate change is already affecting children around the world and in southern Madagascar, a grandmother told me her only wish for her granddaughter, as water scarcity grows, is for her to go to school and build a better future.”

One of the event’s core messages encouraged children to recognise their power through education, informing themselves and making conscious decisions in order to speak up. By doing this, the children could become part of the solution to the climate crisis.

Inspired by this call to action, the children moved outside to take part in a collaborative human art installation, forming shifting circles filmed from above by a drone. These circles symbolised the invisible greenhouse gas CO₂, the planetary scale of the climate challenge, and the collective strength of global unity and hope.

The event concluded with a creative workshop led by artist Lola Bott, where children contributed to a growing international artwork titled “Wish for the Ocean.” With pieces already created by students in New York, the project will continue to evolve through upcoming workshops in Genoa, Portsmouth, and other cities around the world.

Speaking about the successful educational event, Birte Lorenzen-Herrmann explained enthusiastically: “It’s amazing to see how quickly children get excited about the Ocean and there was so much positive energy in the room today. With the My Ocean Challenge, we can offer hope and counter the climate anxiety many children feel. The children came up with their own creative and thoughtful ideas for protecting the Ocean and our performance in front of the Deichtorhallen showed: we are strong together, and we can take a stand together. We are in motion and we are connected.”

A Race We Must Win – Climate Action Now!

mission is only possible due to the strong and long-lasting commitment from its 

: EFG International, Zurich Group Germany, Kuehne+Nagel, MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company, Hapag-Lloyd, Schütz, KPMG Germany, and the Yacht Club de Monaco. These partners band behind Team Malizia to support its campaign, each of them working towards projects in their own field to innovate around climate solutions. 

has already reached over 80,000 children worldwide in 11 languages, educating young people about the Ocean, climate change and the importance of climate action. This work is supported by the steadfast commitment of the 

More than 2100 children across Germany joined a live, interactive climate education event today, hosted by Team Malizia’s My Ocean Challenge, UNICEF Germany and the Deichtorhallen Hamburg. The hybrid event combined science, sailing, and art to explore the vital connection between climate change, Ocean health and children’s rights, and to inspire hope for a better, more sustainable future. Key speakers included offshore sailor Boris Herrmann, Ocean educator Birte Lorenzen-Herrmann, youth activist Sophia Ivanova and UNICEF Germany's executive director Christian Schneider as well as support from artist Lola Bott. 