Plastic Pirates – Go Europe! 3 years ahead! is a citizens science event.

For the third consecutive year, Burgas Free University and schools from the region will join the initiative of the European Commission (EC) Mission Oceans and Waters - "Let's clean up the beaches in the EU" - #EUBeachCleanup. It will be held at the same place - the Burgas beach, on the same day - September 23, and by the same organizer, similar to the launch of the pan-European initiative "Plastic Pirates - Forward Europe!" On September 23, 2022, the then European Commissioner for Youth, Education, Research and Innovation, Ms. Mariya Gabriel, launched with the BSU team the "Plastic Pirates" project already implemented during their presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU) in three countries (Germany, Portugal and Slovenia). It involves taking samples from students and young people and identifying different types of plastic on the coast and in the water, and especially for the presence of microplastics. Over the last 3 years, 12 more countries - after Bulgaria - expanded the scope in which the initiative was active.

This year, the event will coincide with and involve representatives of the Steering Committee of the European University of Islands, Ports and Coastal Territories (UNICoast) – a European alliance (with an agreement with the EC from 1 November 2024) of 13 higher education institutions from all sea basins of the EU Member States and one overseas territory, whose co-founder and sole representative for the Black Sea is the BSU. The Committee has as Secretary General the Vice-Rector of the University of the Balearic Islands, Prof. Marcos Nadal, and together with representatives of one of the working groups of UNICoast will hold meetings at the BSU from 22 to 25 September.

The active organizer will be the Student Council of BSU, which will traditionally also join the bTV initiative = "Let's Clean Bulgaria Together", which this year will be held on September 20. Both events - the one on September 20 and the one scheduled for September 23 - are a continuation of the enthusiasm and in-depth work of the teams so far, and those interested can contact the Deputy Chair of the Student Council of BSU Taisiya Zinkovich at 01.co.nn.ect.to@gmail.com