Lagoon Ambassadors – Session 2: The Next Generation Steps In

25 young candidates. 10 selected. Behind those numbers lies a day filled with emotion, exchange, and discovery led by the Mayotte Marine Park. ​After the first round of applications, the candidates gathered for a practical selection day: workshops, debates, and teamwork exercises. The goal was simple — to inspire, engage, and prepare the next guardians of the lagoon.

Four workshops, one shared energyGuided by Perrine from the Marine Park, Julien from EDD (Education for Sustainable Development), local volunteers, former teachers, and Philippe as supervisor, the participants took part in four thematic workshops:

• Sensory workshop – learning to express what they feel in the water, turning emotion into positive messages they can share with younger students.
  
• Aquatic ease and safety – understanding how to behave at sea, gaining confidence before their first dive and the Level 1 training.
  
• Whale rescue scenario – imagining how to react to a stranded whale, testing communication, initiative, and teamwork.
  
• Group exercise – a simple team activity revealing the group’s natural cohesion and dynamics.
  

Thinking, debating, actingIn the afternoon, all participants came together for a collective debate around three thought-provoking questions:
“Is protecting the lagoon the police’s responsibility?”
“Are young people the ones destroying the lagoon?”
“Should we only eat what comes from the land?”
The conversations were surprisingly mature.
One student said that just being part of this day was already an act of protection.
Another added:
“Without education, there is no protection. It’s not about age — even parents can learn.”
Among the 25 candidates, 10 were selected — five girls and five boys between 16 and 18 years old.
Most came from Petite-Terre, showing how motivation can overcome the island’s transport challenges.

What comes nextNext step: their first dive — a symbolic yet transformative experience.
From this first breath underwater will come understanding, respect, and perhaps, a lifelong connection to the ocean.

More than a project — a movementWhile most teenagers spend their holidays playing football or relaxing on the beach, these young people chose to act.
Their curiosity, sincerity, and willingness to learn bring a spark of hope in a context where local commitment often replaces national support.
Today I saw sincerity, curiosity, and above all… hope. The future of the lagoon begins here, in their eyes.

Chapter 3 – Reading the Reef →