The 2019 United Nations World Oceans Day Celebratory Event was presented by The Office of Legal Affairs, Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea, and Oceanic Global.
2019 United Nations World Oceans Day, June 7, at the United Nations
The event began with opening remarks from João Miguel Ferreira de Serpa Soares, the Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and United Nations Legal Council, who noted the importance of the oceans that “connect and sustain us,” as well as this year’s theme, “Gender and the Ocean.” Moderator Lea d’Auriol, founder and executive director of Oceanic Global, then introduced Åsa Regnér, the UN Women Deputy Executive Director.
Ms. Regnér highlighted the various dimensions of gender equality and the importance of the Sustainable Development Goals, especially goals five and fourteen, gender equality and life below water respectively. She noted the importance of including societies, such as women and those suffering from poverty, in decisions around issues that directly affect their everyday lives — for example, giving people from small island nations a voice in decisions about combating rising sea levels. We need to “engage dynamic audiences around ocean conservation,” Ms. Regnér concluded, in order to make effective and positive change.
Judith Swan, International Consultant on the Law of the Sea and Fisheries and Law and Initiator of World Oceans Day, spoke next, asking the question: How do we reap the benefits from the ocean and protect it at the same time? Ms. Swan spoke of the challenge of gender-based solutions and proposed that women need to be empowered, especially in areas like the maritime community.
Moderator Mariasole Bianco, Professor of Environmental Communication and Dissemination at the Università degli Studi di Genova and Founder and President of Worldrise, introduced a performance on Gender and the Ocean in Pacific Mythology. Hinano Teavai-Murphy, Associate Director of the University of California Berkeley’s Gump Research Station and Founder of Te Pu Atitia, and Eparama Qerewaqa, Project Officer at the Alliance for Future Generations and one of the Climate Youth Ambassadors onboard Peace Boat, shared stories of mythology from their home nations in the Pacific, highlighting how for generations the ocean has been what gives people life.
Next, Kudzi Victorino Dykman, President of Ocean Revolution and Bitonga Divers shared stories from her childhood growing up on an island in the middle of Inhambane Bay in Mozambique. Ms. Dykman’s spoke about her inspiring journey to become the first female East African PADI scuba instructor and the first woman president of the marine conservation group Bitonga Divers.
Ms. Dykman speaking at the UN events.
Anne de Carbuccia, founder of One Planet One Future, and Jorge Manuel Gomez Poot, director at Elementum, spoke next. They shared a short video from their project of conservation and empowering women and youth in Mexico. Aunofo Havea, Sea Captain and Founder of Tonga Voyaging Society, continued with messages about the importance of igniting pathways for women and youth by sharing her journey.
The women part of the ocean conservation efforts in Mexico spoke at the UN through a pre-filmed video, as they were denied entry into the United States to speak in-person at the event.
Shannon Service, ocean journalist and filmmaker, introduced a short video from her new film Ghostfleet, which shows the harsh realities of forced labor at sea. Human trafficking surviver Tun Lin then spoke about his personal experience of working as a slave on a fishing boat for 11 years after being sold into slavery by one of his own friends. His words left a powerful impact on the audience.
Ms. Service’s film Ghostfleet premiered on the day of the UN event.
Angelique Pouponneau, CEO of Seychelles Conservation and Climate Adaptation Trust and Co-Founder of SIDS Youth AIMS Hub, shared her experience growing up in Seychelles and the action she took as a young woman to empower youth through programs such as Blue Economy Internships.
The closing keynote speech by Sylvia Earle showed hope for our future as long as we change our ways. Dr. Earle pointed out how gender differences and the values of women around the world can be helpful in creating solutions to restore balance in the oceans.
It’s clear the event’s focus was on the importance of gender equality in ocean-related activities, policy making and management of the oceans — and the impressive and diverse group of speakers made these topics a strong call to action.
This post was created and published by Arleigh Rodgers (Intern from Peace Boat US).
Peace Boat US 