Celebrate World Oceans Day Every June 8
On June 8 we celebrate the importance of the world’s oceans. World Oceans Day is a United Nations-recognized day to raise awareness of the roles these huge bodies of water play in all our lives.
It doesn’t matter whether we live minutes from the seashore or miles inland. The oceans help sustain us.
Without oceans, we wouldn’t have enough oxygen to breathe. We wouldn’t have the diversity of seafood to eat. Basically the planet would be a very different place.
And not necessarily one hospitable to life as we know it.
So for World Oceans Day, the world’s citizens celebrate the oceans and educate the rest of us on how our activities affect our precious oceans. It unites us in the goal of managing the oceans in a sustainable way.
So our grandchildren and their grandchildren for generations to come can continue to rely on the bounty the oceans provide.
How World Oceans Day Began
Canada first proposed World Oceans Day at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 1992.
It has been celebrated around the world since, with The Ocean Project and the World Ocean Network coordinating this international day.
For years the celebrations were unofficial—but still important.
The UN recognized how these celebrations could unite the world in a common goal—protecting the oceans. So in 2008 the UN General Assembly announced it would designate every June 8 as World Oceans Day, starting in 2009. And so it has been.
Canada continues to celebrate the day and work to protect the oceans, both at the federal level and the community level. As with many countries, progress has been slow and uneven.
Many other countries, including the US, Australia, Belgium and South Africa hold a variety of informational and educational events.
World Oceans Day Themes
Since the UN decided to officially recognize the day, it has assigned themes to each year’s celebrations.
The theme for the inaugural observance, in 2009, was Our Oceans, Our Responsibility. So true. Then and now.
For 2015 the theme was Healthy oceans, healthy planet. Also an important theme. And something we tend to forget. As important as the oceans are to life, we humans have done a poor job of taking care of them. We pollute them and take them for granted.
The 2017 theme was similar: Our Oceans, Our Future. The action focus for the year was to find solutions for plastic pollution in our oceans.
Plastic pollution plays a big role in why the oceans are less healthy than they once were. Microbeads and other plastics float around our waterways for years (decades, even) before finally breaking down. Meanwhile the plastic harms various wildlife, including those who think its food and try to eat it.
Plastic pollution remains a problem, but more and more people now recognize it. And are working on ways to reduce it.
The Ocean Project/World Ocean Network International also assign themes to each year’s celebration. They’re often different from the UN Themes but still centered around protecting the oceans, now and for the future. The 2009 theme was One Climate, One Ocean, One Future.
In 2012 both themes were the same: Youth: the Next Wave for Change.
Scroll down for some ideas on celebrating this life-giving holiday.
Ideas For Celebrating World Oceans Day
Countries and communities around the world hold many different events to celebrate this day. If there’s one near you, consider attending.
The World Oceans Day website lists events around the world. There are tons of events scheduled, at least a few on every continent. The US, Europe and Canada are especially active.
Find Canadian events on the Fisheries and Oceans Canada website.
The Canadian World Oceans Day website offers some simple, every-day ideas for helping protect our oceans. You don’t have to wait for a specific day to do these things. The site also offers event ideas and an education resources section.
To stay updated on events and news, like World Oceans Day on Facebook.
[…] World Ocean’s Day: The oceans are critical to life as we know it, even for those of us who live far from them. So let’s celebrate all they do to sustain us and vow to help protect them. This whole month is also National Ocean Month, so consider keeping the celebration going. […]