This year’s United Nations World Oceans Day, on 8 June 2022, brought together 30 global thought-leaders to highlight the annual theme Revitalization: Collective Action for the Ocean. This was the first-ever hybrid celebration of the annual event, hosted in-person at the UN Headquarters in New York and broadcast live to over 86,000 viewers from 143 member states
EVENT HIGHLIGHTS
ABOUT THE UN WOD EVENT
The ocean connects, sustains, and supports us all. Yet its health is at a tipping point and so is the well-being of all that depends on it. As the past years have shown us, we need to work together to create a new balance with the ocean that no longer depletes its bounty but instead restores its vibrancy and brings it new life.
United Nations World Oceans Day 2022 — hosted by the United Nations Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea, Office of Legal Affairs, with the generous contribution of Oceanic Global, which is made possible by La Mer — shed light on the communities, ideas, and solutions that are working together to protect and revitalize the ocean and everything it sustains.
UN WOD 2022 FULL-LENGTH PROGRAM
IMPACT
FEATURING
The day-of-celebration featured 30 thought-leaders, celebrities, institutional partners, community voices, entrepreneurs, and cross-industry experts as they delved into key topics and worked to inspire and ignite collaborative change.
Featured Speakers
António Guterres
Amber Valletta
Editrudith Lukanga
Abdulla Shahid
Jade Lozada
Sylvia Earle
Ralph Chami
Sheena Talma
Schedule
Opening Remarks
10:00 amHigh-level speakers will open UN World Oceans Day with remarks on the 2022 theme "Revitalization: Collective Action for the Ocean".
Host: Amber Valletta, Supermodel and Sustainability Advocate
*Featuring an original score from Michael Leonhart.
H.E. António Guterres
Secretary-General
H.E. Abdulla Shahid
President of the United Nations General Assembly
Miguel de Serpa Soares
Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and United Nations Legal Counsel
Lea d’Auriol
Founder and Executive Director, Oceanic Global
Francois Bailet
Senior Legal Officer, Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea, Office of Legal Affairs, United Nations
Jade Lozada
Environmental Action Organizer & Poet
Revitalizing our Collective Efforts: Sylvia Earle
10:25 amMarine Biologist, Oceanographer, and Explorer, Sylvia Earle dives into this year's theme: "Revitalization: Collective Action for the Ocean".
Sylvia Earle
President and Co-Chair, Mission Blue
UN Ocean Conference Remarks
10:40 amThe Co-Hosts of the 2022 United Nations Ocean Conference share their message for World Oceans Day in preparation for the Conference
H.E. Mr. João Gomes Cravinho
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Portugal
H.E. Ms. Njambi Kinyungu
Deputy Permanent Representative of the Republic of Kenya to the United Nations
Revitalization Spotlights
10:45 amSpotlights on global collective ocean actions and initiatives from conservation, restoration, scientific exploration, community organizing, coalition building, governance approaches, and beyond, aimed at revitalizing the ocean.
Moderator: Alejandro Alba, Senior Correspondent, NowThis
Sheena Talma
Marine Biology Consultant, Nekton Science Program Manager
Editrudith Lukanga
Executive Director, EMEDO
Kate Orff
Founding Principal, SCAPE
Martin Kramp
Ship Coordinator, WMO/OceanOPS
Lisa Blair
Lisa Blair Sails the World
Shinobu Namae
Executive Chef, Relais & Châteaux L'Effervescence
James Kairo
Chief Scientist, Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute
Remarks: La Mer
11:20 amRemarks from La Mer, on their work to revitalize ocean action.
Lesley Crowther
Senior Vice President, La Mer
Isha Sangani
Youth Leadership Council Member, EarthEcho International
Photo Competition Winners
11:30 amAnnouncement of the finalists and winners of the 9th Annual United Nations World Oceans Day Photo Competition.
Curator: Ellen Cuylaerts, Freelance Underwater, Wildlife Photographer and Curator 2022 World Oceans Day Photo Competition
Sirachai Arunrugstichai
Conservation Photojournalist and Marine Biologist
Rathika Ramasamy
Wildlife Photographer
Y Zin Kim
Underwater Photographer and Art Director
A Revitalized Ocean Economy
11:55 amThe value of a living ocean to our health and economic well being
Keynote by Ralph Chami, Assistant Director, The International Monetary Fund; Co-Founder, Rebalance Earth
Panel Discussion
Panel exploring how to take a regenerative and collective approach to build a resilient ocean economy. Topics will include ocean finance, innovation through startups and entrepreneurs, capacity building and private sector collaboration.
Moderator: Martin Koehring, Head, World Ocean Initiative, Economist Impact
Kendra MacDonald
Chief Executive Officer, Canada's Ocean Supercluster
Andrew Hudson
Head, Water and Ocean Governance Program, UNDP
Whitney Johnston
Director of Ocean Sustainability, Salesforce
World Ocean Week Remarks
12:45 pmBart Smit Duijzentkunst
Legal Officer, Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea, Office of Legal Affairs, United Nations
Cassia Patel
Director of Programs, Oceanic Global
Musical Performance
1:00 pmJulian Lage
Guitarist
Margaret Glaspy
Singer-songwriter
UN WOD 2022 PHOTO COMPETITION
The ninth annual UN World Oceans Day Photo Competition was curated by photographer Ellen Cuylaerts, supported by Dive Photo Guide, made possible by La Mer and featured a panel composed of world-renowned judges including Sirachai Arunrugstichai, Rathika Ramasamy, and Y Zin Kim. The 2022 competition boasted over 1,184 submissions.
Marketing Toolkit
Spread the word about the event with the official UN World Oceans Day toolkit, filled with downloadable graphics, sample social media posts, and more.
Explore#RevitalizeTheOcean
See how States, Civil Society, Private Sector, and Intergovernmental Organizations are working to #RevitalizeTheOcean
ExploreA special thanks to Oceanic Global and La Mer.
To all the speakers, performers, Friends of World Oceans Day group, and community partners including 351 Studios, SDN Broadcast, Daniel Červenka, Michael Leonhart, Thirty Two Music, Now This, The Economist Group’s World Ocean Initiative, and Brut Media.