Every year since 1992, when Canada proposed the concept to the United Nations, the world has celebrated our global ocean on 8 June. This year, World Oceans Day is uniting action to grow the global movement to #ProtectOurHome, calling on world leaders to protect 30% of our blue planet by 2030. Safeguarding at least one-third of our ocean through a network of marine protected areas is a critical first step towards ensuring a healthy home for all. 

Due to COVID-19, most local and international World Oceans Day events have pivoted online, making them accessible to everyone anywhere with an Internet connection. Ocean Networks Canada (ONC) is proud to be participating in a number of online events throughout World Oceans Week.

7-14 June - Oceans Week Victoria

Oceans Week Victoria is a new volunteer collaboration among businesses, non-profits, scientists, educators, artists, and ocean lovers on southern Vancouver Island. With a goal to engage and educate the public about ocean issues by building partnerships and supporting events around World Oceans Day, the group has developed an impressive schedule of fun educational activities, resources, and events.
 

Every day of Oceans Week Victoria has its own theme—connections, impact, technology, watersheds, under the sea, fun facts, sustainability, and the Salish Sea—all with an emphasis on helping ocean lovers understand why the ocean is important to us and suggesting actions we can take to reduce our impact. For details, check out the daily Activities Calendar.

A highlight amongst ONC’s many contributions to the week’s activities is Pieter Romer’s talk, “Meaningful Partnerships for Ocean Monitoring: Engaging with Coastal Indigenous Communities” at 1.30pm PT on Tuesday, 9 June.

"Protecting the health of the ocean begins with knowing and understanding this precious resource, and this starts in our own backyard,” comments Maia Hoeberechts, ONC associate director, Learning and Community Engagement. “ONC is proud to collaborate with the Oceans Week Victoria partners to deliver interactive and fun virtual activities for ocean lovers everywhere."

Oceans Week Victoria is also a member of a new national Oceans Week Canada initiative, a growing network of organizations across Canada working together to better highlight and coordinate World Oceans Day events taking place across the country this year and beyond.

8 June - #VirtualBlueDecade

ONC is a partner in the #VirtualBlueDecade initiative, which is kicking off with a series of free online events featuring a range of international and local experts and communities passionate about ocean and climate change. The vision is to develop a global platform that promotes collaboration and knowledge sharing on ocean issues and themes during the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, 2021-2030.

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#VirtualBlueDecade are hosting three live events on 8 June:

• Climate change and marine biodiversity: implications for Blue Economy development in the Indian Ocean – 2am PT / 5am ET / 11am CEST (Register)
• The golden floating rainforest versus the Great Atlantic Sargassum belt – 9am PT / noon ET / 5 pm CEST (Register)
• Answering your questions about our changing Pacific Ocean –3pm PT / 6pm ET / midnight CEST (Register)

For more information visit the #VirtualBlueDecade website.

8 June - UNA Vancouver and Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup event

The UNA Vancouver and the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup have teamed up for an online panel discussion to celebrate Innovation for a Sustainable Ocean. Join leading Canadian scientists, experts, and change makers to explore innovation in science, technology, collaboration, arts, citizen engagement, and education for the protection and conservation of our oceans.

Panelists:

• Kate Moran, Ocean Networks Canada, President and CEO (Victoria, BC)
• Sheryas Patankar, Ocean Wise, Research Scientist (Vancouver, BC)
• Mia Otokiak, Inuit Early-Career Scientist and Ocean Bridge Alumnus (Cambridge Bay, Nunavut)
• Betty Carpick, Interdisciplinary Artist, Arts Educator, and Environmentalist (Thunder Bay, Ontario)
• Sonya Lee, Ocean School - École de l'Océan, Science Producer (Halifax, Nova Scotia)

For details and to watch online, join the Facebook event.

Starting 10 June - ONC Summer Webinar Series

Starting on Wednesday, 10 June 2020, at 11am PT, ONC will host a bi-weekly online interactive seminar series featuring a variety of ocean-related topics. Learn about scientific and Indigenous approaches to understanding ocean change in northern communities, how to prepare for powerful earthquakes and tsunamis, the effects of climate change on our oceans, and much more. Details and registration.

Wishing you a Happy World Oceans Day from all of us at Ocean Networks Canada.