Science Without Borders®: Expanding Our “Reefs at Risk Activity and Coloring Book” Worldwide

July 2, 2024

Written by Amy Heemsoth

Following the mass bleaching events that endangered coral reefs in 2023, we published the first book in our Reefs at Risk: Activity and Coloring Book series, focusing on coral bleaching. Unfortunately, mass bleaching events have continued into 2024 in the southern hemisphere, with the fifth mass bleaching event confirmed in the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Predictions for the northern hemisphere remain dire for the summer months, with NOAA reporting bleaching-level heat stress occurring a month earlier than last year’s events. To help our youth understand these concerning developments, we are committed to making this book accessible to as many people around the world as possible, in line with our motto, “Science Without Borders®.”

When the Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation was established in 2000, our founder and chairman of the board, Prince Khaled, introduced the motto and philosophy of the foundation: “Science Without Borders®.” This motto is a clear call to action, recognizing the need for global collaboration among conservationists to pool resources and knowledge to preserve our ocean effectively.

In keeping with our motto, we are working to make our Reefs at Risk: Activity and Coloring Book more accessible to people worldwide translating it into different languages, especially as these bleaching events persist. We are delighted to share the French version of the coral bleaching book, which was made possible by the generous efforts of Luz Veronica Delvasto Algarin, who volunteered to translate the book.

Our Reefs at Risk Activity and Coloring Book, for students ages 9-13, teaches children about the threats to coral reefs through engaging activities, thought-provoking questions, and coloring pages. Created in collaboration with talented artist Ryan Sobel, the book raises awareness of challenges like climate change and bleaching while fostering critical thinking and introducing scientific concepts. Combining coloring with science education, the book offers a dynamic learning experience. The first book in the series focuses on coral bleaching, helping students understand the relationship between coral and zooxanthellae, the root causes of coral bleaching, and how they can make a difference.

We are also collaborating with other organizations and volunteers to translate the bleaching book into additional languages, including Arabic, Spanish, Tahitian, and Thai. If you are fluent in another language and interested in helping us provide this resource globally, please get in touch with Amy Heemsoth at [email protected].

Our “Reefs at Risk Activity and Coloring Book” is now available in French!

Livre d’activités et de coloriage Récifs en Danger: le blanchissement des coraux

Le premier livre de la série “Livre d’activités et de coloriage: Récifs en danger” enseigne aux élèves le blanchissement des coraux. À travers des exercices interactifs et des pages de coloriage, il est conçu pour aider les élèves à saisir la relation complexe entre les coraux et les zooxanthelles, à comprendre les causes profondes du blanchissement des coraux et à savoir ce qu’ils peuvent faire pour faire une différence.

Livre d’activités et de coloriage : Récifs en danger

From Dialogue to Action: Ocean Foundations Gather in Stockholm

What can philanthropy accomplish when foundations working across ocean science, conservation, and sustainable development come together around a shared purpose?

That question was at the heart of the 6th UN Ocean Decade Foundations Dialogue, held September 7–9 in Stockholm, Sweden. The Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation joined philanthropic organizations from around the world for three days of discussion, collaboration, and planning focused on accelerating progress during the second half of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development.

Facilitated by UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC), the UN Ocean Decade Foundations Dialogue is a growing network of more than 30 philanthropic organizations committed to advancing ocean science, collaboration, and action. Since its creation within the framework of the Ocean Decade, the Dialogue has provided foundations with a space to exchange ideas, develop partnerships, and explore how philanthropy can help advance a healthy and resilient ocean.

Hosted by the Voice of the Ocean Foundation (VOTO), this year’s gathering began with From Depth to Action, an Opening Forum that brought nearly 100 leaders from the Swedish and international ocean community together at…

Meet IFAN: Helping Bring Navigate with Care to the Next Generation

If you’ve ever seen a lighthouse flashing from the shore or a brightly colored buoy bobbing in the water, you’ve seen Aids to Navigation at work.

Aids to Navigation, often called AtoNs, help mariners navigate safely. They can mark channels, warn of hazards, help vessels determine their position, and provide other information people need to make safe decisions on the water. Around the world, these systems help guide everything from small recreational boats to large commercial or container ships.

But safe navigation isn’t only about protecting vessels and the people aboard them. The choices mariners make can also affect the animals and ecosystems beneath and around them.

That connection between maritime safety and ocean conservation is at the heart of this year’s Science Without Borders® Challenge—and of our partnership with this year’s theme sponsor, the International Foundation for Aids to Navigation (IFAN).