Blue Flag

18/08/2026

🫱🏼‍🫲🏾 Sharing Blue Flag experience across borders!

A delegation from Kyrgyzstan recently visited Türkiye to learn first-hand from its experience implementing the Blue Flag Programme.

During the five-day study visit, the delegation explored Mavi Bayrak Türkiye Blue Flag beaches, marinas, and tourism boats, learning about water quality monitoring, environmental education, waste management, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable tourism practices.

The visit is a great example of global knowledge exchange. 🌊

🔗 Read the full story: https://ow.ly/kGjU50ZAsQ4

12/08/2026

💡 From first ideas to first jobs

On 12 August, we celebrate International Youth Day and the many ways young people are already shaping environmental action across the Foundation for Environmental Education network.

Reflecting this year’s United Nations theme, “Different Contexts, Common Aspirations,” young people are learning, participating, and leading at every stage across our six programmes.

So, where can you find youth across the FEE network? Pretty much everywhere. 👀

🍏 Through Eco-Schools, young people lead Eco-Committees and turn ideas into action across their schools and communities.

🌱 Through Learning about Ecosystems and Forests - LEAF, young learners step outside the classroom, connect with nature and explore the importance of protecting forests and biodiversity.

🎤 Through Young Reporters for the Environment, young people investigate environmental issues affecting their communities and use journalism, photography and video to share the stories that matter.

🎓 Through Eco-Campus, students drive change across their universities and colleges, deepening their knowledge while building skills and experience for what comes next.

🔑 Across Green Key, young professionals in the hospitality sector put sustainability into practice inside hotels and other establishments around the world.

🌊 Across Blue Flag, young professionals working at beaches, marinas and tourism boats help protect our coasts and promote more sustainable practices.

And that journey doesn't end when education does. Young people take those experiences into the wider world as educators, environmental and conservation professionals, community leaders, hospitality and tourism professionals, and colleagues across FEE’s 110+ member organisations.

Creating opportunities for young people to build experience, enter the environmental workforce, and have a say in the organisations driving change is an important part of that journey.

Next week, we’ll put that into practice at FEE Head Office. 👋 Through the FEE Internship Scheme, led by Eco-Campus, we’re welcoming our newest interns and creating opportunities for young people to gain hands-on professional experience while contributing to FEE’s work.

💼 Discover the FEE Internship Scheme: https://www.ecocampus.global/internship-scheme

Happy International Youth Day! ⭐

03/08/2026

🎉 Türkiye’s 2026 National Blue Flag Award Ceremony brought together municipalities, tourism professionals, public authorities and environmental partners in Foça, İzmir, to recognise the people and places helping protect the country’s coastlines.

🏖️ This year, Türkiye received 580 Blue Flag beaches, 30 marinas, 18 tourist boats, and 26 tourism boats, maintaining its position as the third-ranked country in the world for Blue Flag beaches.

The ceremony also celebrated environmental education, with pupils from Yeni Foça Kindergarten, an Eco-Schools participant school, opening the event with environmental-themed songs.

Congratulations to TÜRÇEV, FEE's Member in Türkiye and the organisation that runs the Blue Flag programme nationally, as well as to everyone whose work continues to support clean, safe and sustainably managed coastal destinations.

Read the full story: https://tinyurl.com/3n5b4zpv

📸 Photo credit: TÜRÇEV
Mavi Bayrak Türkiye

27/07/2026

🔵 Blue Flag Good Practice Spotlight 2025-2026

🌱 What if restoring nature started with your local community?
In Mijas Municipality, Spain, the Mijas Reforesta programme coordinates reforestation activities across the mountains, coastal dunes and urban green spaces, helping to strengthen local biodiversity and create urban forests that act as CO₂ sinks.

The initiative brought together Asociación de Educación Ambiental y del Consumidor, the National Operator of the Blue Flag programme in Spain (Bandera Azul), WWF-Málaga, ARBA Association, local volunteers and Salliver School in Fuengirola, an Eco-School, to help plant nearly 1,000 native Mediterranean seedlings grown at the Municipal Nursery.

The programme also includes seed workshops, summer tree watering and educational excursions that explore the natural, historical and cultural heritage of the Mijas coastline. By combining hands-on action with environmental learning, participants plant, care for and monitor native trees while developing a deeper connection with nature and their local environment.

Mijas is home to five Blue Flag sites:
• Calahonda I (Royal Beach–La Luna)
• Calahonda (Riviera)
• El Bombo
• El Chaparral
• La Cala

Congratulations to this inspiring Blue Flag Good Practice winner!

Discover more Good Practice winners: https://www.blueflag.global/good-practices

Photo credit: Mijas Comunicación

24/07/2026

🌊 Thirty Members of the European Parliament have called on the European Commission to ensure that new legislation strengthens consumer confidence without unintentionally putting the future of Blue Flag International at risk by increasing significantly administrative and financial costs for local municipalities.

For nearly 40 years, Blue Flag has recognised beaches, marinas and tourism boats that meet high environmental standards.

Today, the Programme is present in 22 EU Member States, with around 3,800 awarded sites, supporting cleaner water, environmental education and sustainable tourism.

Foundation for Environmental Education welcomes this cross-party support and will continue working with European institutions, Member States and partners to ensure Blue Flag remains a trusted symbol of environmental excellence across Europe.

Read more:

Blue Flag Welcomes European Parliament Support for the Future of the Programme The Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) welcomes a cross-party initiative by 30 Members of the European Parliament calling on the European Commission to safeguard the future of the Blue Flag Programme in

24/07/2026

🌊 Because accessibility matters.

Everyone should be able to enjoy the coast. That's why accessibility is an important part of the Blue Flag programme. This pictogram highlights that, in every Blue Flag municipality, at least one beach provides access to the beach, surrounding buildings and restroom facilities for people with physical disabilities. Where possible, access to the water is also encouraged.

Keep an eye out for this pictogram on your next beach visit and for the Blue Flag, a globally recognised symbol of beaches that meet high standards for environmental management, safety, and visitor information.

Learn more about the Safety and Services requirements and the Blue Flag programme: https://ow.ly/UvCj50ZrgkW

♿ This post is part of our Blue Flag Pictogram Spotlight series, where we're exploring the meaning behind the pictograms you'll find on Blue Flag information boards around the world.

21/07/2026

🌊 It takes all of us to keep people safe around the water.

This World Drowning Prevention Day: 25 July, Blue Flag is joining the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Life Saving Federation (ILS) in supporting the global campaign "Unite to Turn the Tide."

Safety around the water is a shared responsibility. From lifeguards and beach managers to local authorities, educators, residents and visitors, every one of us has a role to play in creating safer beaches, marinas and coastlines.

Through collaboration, education and proactive safety measures, we can help ensure everyone enjoys the water safely and with confidence.

On 25 July, join us in recognising the people, partnerships and everyday actions that help keep our beaches, marinas and waterways safe for everyone.

Learn more about World Drowning Prevention Day and this year's campaign: https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-drowning-prevention-day

📸 Cover photo: Birutė Beach, Blue Flag beach in Lithuania.
Palangos Birutė parkas

13/07/2026

🌅 A day at the beach should be about making memories, not worrying about safety.
That's why safety is a core part of the Blue Flag programme. This pictogram highlights that a Blue Flag beach provides key safety measures, such as first-aid equipment, lifeguards where appropriate, and regular patrols, helping everyone enjoy the coast with confidence.
Keep an eye out for this pictogram on your next beach visit and for the Blue Flag, a globally recognised symbol of beaches that meet high standards for environmental management, safety, and visitor information.

Learn more about the Safety and Services and the Blue Flag programme requirements: https://www.blueflag.global/criteria

🛟 This post is part of our Blue Flag Pictogram Spotlight series, where we're exploring the meaning behind the pictograms you'll find on Blue Flag information boards around the world.

09/07/2026

🌊 Blue Flag Good Practice Spotlight 2025-2026

🍃 What if invasive aquatic plants could be repurposed to grow vegetables and cotton?

At Lake Biwa, Japan, invasive aquatic plants have rapidly spread, harming the shoreline and making boat navigation unsafe.

To address this challenge, Blue Flag site YANMAR / ヤンマー Sunset Marina removes the plants and transforms them into compost through a dedicated recycling system. The compost is then used to cultivate vegetables and cotton, with the cotton even being used for the marina staff's uniforms. By recycling aquatic plants that were previously incinerated as waste, the marina is helping to reduce both waste generation and emissions.

Congratulations to this inspiring Blue Flag Good Practice winner! 💙

Discover more Good Practice winners: https://www.blueflag.global/good-practices

23/06/2026

🌊 We couldn't resist sharing one more photo... The Blue Flag Programme was highlighted at the World Urban Forum in Azerbaijan! Blue Flag was presented as a leading example of how international sustainability standards can support environmental protection, sustainable tourism, and local development.

Organized by EkoSfera Ecology-Social Center, a session brought together experts to discuss practical approaches to advancing sustainability and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

Read the full article to learn more about Blue Flag’s growing role in Azerbaijan and beyond – https://www.blueflag.global/stories-news/blue-flag-programme-highlighted-at-world-urban-forum.

Discover more about about EkoSfera https://ekosfera.org.az/.