On August 12, International Caspian Sea Day, Sea Breeze hosted the Caspian Senses Observatory, an environmental and inclusive programme organised in partnership with the EcoSphere Social and Environmental Centre.
Caspian Senses Observatory is a pilot citizen science initiative focused on public observation of the Caspian Sea, bringing together environmental research, citizen science and an inclusive approach. The programme is built around a simple idea: everyone, regardless of age, developmental differences or the way they experience the world, can become an observer, researcher and advocate for the Caspian Sea.
The first participants were young Sea Breeze residents and invited children with different developmental needs. At a series of interactive research stations, the children explored the Caspian through different senses — sight, hearing, touch and smell. They carried out simple measurements, learned about coastal biodiversity, practised identifying and documenting signs of pollution, and explored the accessibility of the beach environment.
“We started with a very simple idea: anyone can become an observer of the Caspian Sea. One person may be particularly attuned to visual changes, while another may experience the environment through sound, touch or smell. Our task is to turn these different ways of perceiving the world into clear, comparable observations that can be documented and brought together,” said Firuza Sultanzade, Head of the EcoSphere Social and Environmental Centre.
This approach offers a broader perspective on inclusion — not simply as ensuring access to environmental activities, but as creating opportunities for people with different ways of experiencing the world to actively participate in observing their environment and contributing to collective knowledge.
The programme’s guest of honour was Mahir Aliyev, Regional Coordinator for Europe at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and Head of the Secretariat of the Tehran Convention. His participation highlighted the connection between a local initiative involving children and the broader international effort to protect the Caspian Sea, advance environmental monitoring and engage communities in safeguarding its future.
Mahir Aliyev emphasised that initiatives of this kind give children an opportunity to take part in environmental observation and develop a sense of personal responsibility for the future of the Caspian Sea.
“We are all part of the Caspian ecosystem. The Caspian belongs to all of us, and we all share responsibility for it. Developing this understanding from an early age will help raise a generation that we can entrust with protecting the unique environment of the Caspian Sea,” he said.
Caspian Senses Observatory is envisioned as a first step towards establishing a permanent model of inclusive citizen science monitoring for the Caspian, where observations from people with different ways of experiencing the environment can be brought together within a shared system of environmental data and public participation. The pilot programme provides an opportunity to test the methodology directly on the coast and develop it further for a wider audience.
The programme also reflects Sea Breeze’s broader environmental agenda. The resort is committed to improving the project’s environmental sustainability at every stage of its development. Environmental assessments are carried out, water and soil quality are monitored, and the operation of engineering infrastructure is closely overseen.
Since 2024, Sea Breeze has been connected to centralised water supply and wastewater systems. Drinking water is sourced from the centralised network, while wastewater is transferred to the municipal collection and treatment system, preventing any direct discharge into the Caspian Sea.
More than 11 million trees and plants have been planted across Sea Breeze, with landscaping work continuing. One of the key urban planning principles has been the creation of a wide public waterfront zone: in some areas, the main development line has been set back 400–500 metres from the shore. The coastal area is being designed for landscaping, walking routes, public amenities and open access to the waterfront.
In this way, Caspian Senses Observatory extends Sea Breeze’s environmental vision into the sphere of public participation: the Caspian is not only part of the landscape, but also a living environment that people can observe, explore and help protect together.
Caspian Senses Observatory is a pilot citizen science initiative focused on public observation of the Caspian Sea, bringing together environmental research, citizen science and an inclusive approach. The programme is built around a simple idea: everyone, regardless of age, developmental differences or the way they experience the world, can become an observer, researcher and advocate for the Caspian Sea.
The first participants were young Sea Breeze residents and invited children with different developmental needs. At a series of interactive research stations, the children explored the Caspian through different senses — sight, hearing, touch and smell. They carried out simple measurements, learned about coastal biodiversity, practised identifying and documenting signs of pollution, and explored the accessibility of the beach environment.
“We started with a very simple idea: anyone can become an observer of the Caspian Sea. One person may be particularly attuned to visual changes, while another may experience the environment through sound, touch or smell. Our task is to turn these different ways of perceiving the world into clear, comparable observations that can be documented and brought together,” said Firuza Sultanzade, Head of the EcoSphere Social and Environmental Centre.
This approach offers a broader perspective on inclusion — not simply as ensuring access to environmental activities, but as creating opportunities for people with different ways of experiencing the world to actively participate in observing their environment and contributing to collective knowledge.
The programme’s guest of honour was Mahir Aliyev, Regional Coordinator for Europe at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and Head of the Secretariat of the Tehran Convention. His participation highlighted the connection between a local initiative involving children and the broader international effort to protect the Caspian Sea, advance environmental monitoring and engage communities in safeguarding its future.
Mahir Aliyev emphasised that initiatives of this kind give children an opportunity to take part in environmental observation and develop a sense of personal responsibility for the future of the Caspian Sea.
“We are all part of the Caspian ecosystem. The Caspian belongs to all of us, and we all share responsibility for it. Developing this understanding from an early age will help raise a generation that we can entrust with protecting the unique environment of the Caspian Sea,” he said.
Caspian Senses Observatory is envisioned as a first step towards establishing a permanent model of inclusive citizen science monitoring for the Caspian, where observations from people with different ways of experiencing the environment can be brought together within a shared system of environmental data and public participation. The pilot programme provides an opportunity to test the methodology directly on the coast and develop it further for a wider audience.
The programme also reflects Sea Breeze’s broader environmental agenda. The resort is committed to improving the project’s environmental sustainability at every stage of its development. Environmental assessments are carried out, water and soil quality are monitored, and the operation of engineering infrastructure is closely overseen.
Since 2024, Sea Breeze has been connected to centralised water supply and wastewater systems. Drinking water is sourced from the centralised network, while wastewater is transferred to the municipal collection and treatment system, preventing any direct discharge into the Caspian Sea.
More than 11 million trees and plants have been planted across Sea Breeze, with landscaping work continuing. One of the key urban planning principles has been the creation of a wide public waterfront zone: in some areas, the main development line has been set back 400–500 metres from the shore. The coastal area is being designed for landscaping, walking routes, public amenities and open access to the waterfront.
In this way, Caspian Senses Observatory extends Sea Breeze’s environmental vision into the sphere of public participation: the Caspian is not only part of the landscape, but also a living environment that people can observe, explore and help protect together.