Overview
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This session dives into the emotional and deeply personal relationships we build with the ocean, through the lens of the international project Women from the Sea. Based on the belief that “those who love, care – and those who care, love”, this project gathers stories of women from different countries who dedicate their lives to the sea. We will present the project’s vision, which celebrates ocean connection, promotes ocean protection, and highlights the vital role of women in marine cultures and sustainability. Two of our Women from the Sea will join us to share their unique perspectives and emotional ties to the ocean – offering personal, moving insights into how the sea shapes identity, purpose, and care. A powerful conversation about love, resilience, and belonging.
Programme
14:00
Welcome, Ana Faria, BlueMissionAA / AIR Centre
14:05
Introduction, Baiba Prūse, University College Cork (UCC)
14:10
Women of the Sea, Raquel Clemente Martins, Help Images
14:15
Vyra Sachse, Vyra Productions
14:20
Ocean connection, Solange Câmara, from Corvo Island (Azores), and Anabela Valente, from the Aveiro region.
Both will share their personal journeys and emotional ties to the sea, offering moving insights into how the ocean shapes identity, purpose, and care.
14:45
Q&A session
Speakers
SPEAKER
Raquel Clemente Martins
Help Images
An experienced people-centered, creative film director and visual thinker, Raquel has a strong passion for communication, imagination, and human interactions. She has over 30 years of experience developing audio-visual related media content: special effects artist, editor and film director, producer, and media content developer. In the last 16 years she has produced and directed over 100 documentaries, corporate videos, and video content in several countries and has managed teams, projects, and businesses. Raquel is keen to invest time and skills in projects that allow a mix of creative talent, communications, and the potential to inspire and impact social and environmental innovation. “The sea fills my body with lightness, and we are one.”
SPEAKER
Vyra Sachse
Vyra Productions
Vyra Sachse is a Berlin-born film director, producer, and photographer whose work spans environmental awareness and social impact. She has lived in Australia, Argentina, Thailand, Spain, and Portugal. Her documentary photography, capturing the lives of fishers and farmers in Vietnam, was exhibited in collaboration with Sea Shepherd Portugal in February 2025. Vyra also directed Being Human, a short film for TEDx, shot in Lisbon and Madeira. Premiering on March 1, 2025, at TEDx Marvila, the film drew media attention for its powerful message on digital-age isolation and environmental damage.
Moderator
SPEAKER
Baiba Prūse
University College Cork
Baiba Prūse is an interdisciplinary researcher from Latvia with a focus on local ecological knowledge (ethnobiology) and citizen science. She hold a B.Sc. from Business Academy Aarhus (Denmark) in Environmental management field, M.Sc. from Uppsala University (Sweden) in Sustainable Development and completed her PhD on knowledge co-creation at University of Latvia. She is strongly supporting the research strategy of inter / transdisciplinarity and collaborative work between artists. She is eager to learn more on how to move from research recommendations to direct implementation and foresee – art and science combination as the perfect starting point. In October 2024, Baiba joined UCC MaREI team where with the colleagues she explores citizen engagement across Mission Ocean activities.
Resources
July 2, 2025, Atlantic & Arctic Lighthouse Weekly Hour S03E13: Our emotional connection with the ocean - Women from the Sea