New York, New York, June 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — On Wednesday 8 June, the United Nations will host its annual World Oceans Day celebration with the 2022 theme Revitalization: Collective Action for the Ocean. Produced by the Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea of the Office of Legal Affairs with the contribution of non–profit organization Oceanic Global, and made possible by La Mer, United Nations World Oceans Day 2022 (UNWOD) will feature keynote speeches, panels, presentations, and performances kicked off by the Secretary–General and the President of the General Assembly. The day's programming will also include leading voices such as sustainability advocate Amber Valletta, International Monetary Fund economist Ralph Chami, World Champion sailor Lisa Blair, deep sea explorer Sheena Talma, and Michelin–star chef Shinobu Namae to name a few. While United Nations World Oceans Day has been fully virtual since 2020, this year's celebration will once again bring together UN delegates and thought leaders from around the world for an in–person gathering at UN Headquarters in New York. The event will also be open to the public by live stream from 10am –13:30pm (EDT) on the United Nations World Oceans Day website (www.unworldoceansday.org) with the content reshared on the social channels @unworldoceansday.
The ocean connects, sustains, and supports all life on earth, but its health is at a tipping point. And, as the past few years of the pandemic have shown us, we need to work together when addressing issues that impact us all. The UNWOD 2022 theme of "Revitalization: Collective Action for the Ocean" encourages collaboration towards a new balance with the ocean that no longer depletes its bounty, but instead restores its vibrancy and brings it new life. The day's programming will call attention to the communities, ideas, and solutions that are working to revitalize the ocean and our blue planet as a whole. It will convene thought–leaders, celebrities, institutional partners, community voices, entrepreneurs, and cross–industry experts to shine a new and hopeful light on humanity's relationship to the ocean, bring fresh energy and ideas to how we're addressing key issues, and inspire as well as ignite collective action towards positive change.
UNWOD 2022 will open with remarks by the United Nations Secretary–General, followed by messages from the President of the General Assembly. Keynote remarks will be provided by sustainability advocate Amber Valletta, President and Co–Chair of Mission Blue, Sylvia Earle, Portuguese Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Mr. Joo Gomes Cravinho, the International Monetary Fund's Ralph Chami and Senior Vice President of La Mer, Lesley Crowther. Additional sessions throughout the day include a series of "Spotlight Solutions" featuring Relais & Chteaux Chef Shinobu Namae, leading landscape architect Kate Orff, and World Champion sailor Lisa Blair, a panel on the "Revitalized Ocean Economy" featuring the Economist's Martin Koehring and Director of Ocean Sustainability at Salesforce, Whitney Johnston, video messages from actress Nathalie Kelley, aquanot Fabien Cousteau, and a performance by youth environmental action organizer and poet Jade Lozada. The day's programming will be closed with a musical performance by singer–songwriter Margaret Glaspy and guitarist Julian Lage. The winners of the Ninth Annual United Nations World Oceans Day Photo Competition will also be announced by its 2022 Curator, Ellen Cuylaerts.
The annual United Nations World Oceans Day event marks the kick–off "World Ocean Week" during which subsequent events hosted by members of the Friends of UN World Oceans Day platform and other ocean enthusiasts from around the world will continue the conversation surrounding the official theme of UN World Oceans Day 2022 – Revitalization: Collective Action for the Ocean.
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