To truly revitalize our ocean, we must all commit to giving them the life they deserve. In line with this vision, our Timeout team joined the global community to commemorate World Ocean Day 2022. Partnering with the Mundus Maris asbl chapter at the Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA) in Ondo State, Nigeria, we hosted a three-day event from June 6th to 8th, 2022.
Day 1: June 6th
The program kicked off with the Plastic Creativity Challenge for high school students in the Akure region. Five schools participated, showcasing innovative entries that transformed plastic waste into creative art pieces. A panel of judges carefully evaluated the submissions, awarding special prizes to the top three entries, while all participants were recognized and appreciated with consolation prizes.
Day 2: June 7th
The second day featured a virtual conference that attracted a global audience. The discussions focused on critical themes related to ocean conservation:
- “Giving the Ocean the Life It Deserves” by Prof. O.A. Fagbenro
- “Conservative Actions for Our Ocean” by Dr. M.L. Adeleke
- “#30×30: A Major Pathway to Revitalize Our Ocean” – an initiative aimed at protecting 30% of the world’s oceans by 2030.
Day 3: June 8th
The grand finale was marked by a Cleanup Fiesta in Akure. Before the cleanup, members of the organizing committee and staff from FUTA paid a courtesy visit to the Vice-Chancellor. During this meeting, they discussed actionable steps the university could take to promote ocean health.
The Fiesta included a cleanup exercise around FUTA’s Southgate community, accompanied by a briefing on the #30×30 initiative. Participants (staff of the university, high school students from Akure) were enlightened on the importance of this global conservation effort and how they could contribute to it.
Our Guest Speaker for the event, Dr. O.K. Gbadamosi, emphasized the importance of celebrating and caring for the ocean every day and not just on World Ocean Day. His message underscored the ongoing commitment required to ensure the health and vitality of our oceans.
