This year, the United Nations will celebrate World Oceans Day on June 8 with an all-day virtual event. It will be capped by an online concert featuring live performances from musicians around the world.
Produced in partnership with the non-profit organization Oceanic Global, UN World Oceans Day 2020 will feature keynote speeches, panels, and presentations with leading ocean voices. The 2020 theme is “Innovation for a Sustainable Ocean”.
Our ocean is our future
The speakers include Cara Delevingne, Jean-Michel Cousteau, Sylvia Earle, Forbi Perise Eyong Nyosai, Bill McKibben, Ellie Goulding, Gayatri Reksodihardjo-Lilley, and Lilly Platt.
The virtual event will stream from 10 AM to 5 PM EDT (10 PM to 5 AM Philippine Standard Time) on June 8.
What is World Oceans Day? And why do we celebrate it on June 8? Here’s what the official site has to say.
“The United Nations celebrates World Oceans Day every year on 8 June. Many countries have celebrated this special day since 1992, following the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, held in Rio de Janeiro.
“In 2008, the United Nations General Assembly decided that, as of 2009, 8 June would be designated by the United Nations as ‘World Oceans Day’.
“Every 8 June, we have an opportunity to raise global awareness of the benefits humankind derives from the ocean and our individual and collective duty to use its resources sustainably. Future generations will also depend on the ocean for their livelihoods!”
A Concert for the Ocean
In line with the theme of “Innovation for a Sustainable Ocean”, this year’s celebration will explore innovations across different categories. Among these are technology, systems infrastructure, resource management, consumer products, and scientific exploration. The event will outline how these innovations can be applied. It will also examine their potential impact, and the resources needed to transform them into long-lasting solutions.
The all-day virtual event will conclude with “A Concert for the Ocean”. The musicians include Fatoumata Diawara, Bombino, Nick Mulvey, Vieux Farka Touré, Tenzin Choegyal, Jess Glynne, and Alice Phoebe Lou.
Apart from the official site, the virtual event can also be streamed on Facebook, UN Web TV, and Oceanic Global.
As a climate activist, I’m looking forward to celebrating this important day, even virtually. Just as we didn’t allow the COVID-19 pandemic to stop us from celebrating Earth Day.
Let’s work together to protect the oceans and save the Earth.
