ABOUT THE UN WORLD OCEANS DAY CELEBRATION
The ocean covers the majority of the earth, but only a small portion of its waters has been explored. Despite humanity’s utter reliance on it, and compared to the breadth and depth of what it gives us, the ocean receives only a fragment of our attention and resources in return.
But tides are changing.
To celebrate the United Nations World Oceans Day 2023 theme, Planet Ocean, the United Nations is joining forces with decision makers, scientists, private sector executives, civil society representatives, indigenous communities, celebrities and youth activists and more to put the ocean first.
JOIN UN WOD 2023
Join us on 8 June 2023 for United Nations World Oceans Day hosted by the Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea of the Office of Legal Affairs in partnership with Oceanic Global and supported by Panerai.
Through the UN World Oceans Day 2023 theme Planet Ocean: Tides are Changing, We will discover how Earth is more than it may seem, and generate a new wave of excitement towards cherishing and protecting the ocean and the entirety of our blue planet.
2023 PROGRAM
Through a series of keynotes, roundtable discussions, spotlight presentations, and performances, the day will underscore humanity’s interconnectivity to the ocean and illustrate its cross-sector potential. Global thought leaders and advocates will also shed light on missed opportunities and ongoing work to bridge gaps across representation, knowledge, and capacity building to better understand the ocean for all that it has to offer – and for the wonder that it is
Featured Topics
The celebration will include a mix of Keynotes, Panels, Spotlight Presentations, Art & Film Integrations and Performances, surrounding key themes including:
- The Ocean As Earth’s Largest Ecosystem
- Untapped Potential Opportunities for the Ocean
- The Ocean x Climate Interface
- Lesser Known Ecosystems & Underwater Terrains
- Coastal Stewardship & Cultural Significance of The Ocean
- Creativity as a Catalyst for Global Understanding
- Cross-discipline Collaboration & Systemic Change
- Our Collective need to put the Ocean First
Full program, featured speakers and performers coming soon!
PHOTO COMPETITION
The Photo Competition for UN World Oceans Day is curated by Ellen Cuylaerts and a jury composed of world-renowned individuals. 2023 Marks the 10th year of the annual photo competition, which will include a celebratory exhibition at the UN Headquarters in New York. This is a unique opportunity for photographers to showcase the beauty of the ocean and generate a new wave of excitement towards protecting the ocean and the entirety of our blue planet.
2023 Competition is now open for 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.
Coming SoonVirtual UN WOD Event
Register for the Virtual Event and receive updates surrounding the programming and Virtual Broadcast.
Sign Up