UN World Oceans Day 2025 was hosted by the Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea of the Office of Legal Affairs (DOALOS) in partnership with and made possible by Oceanic Global.
Discover the 2025 Theme
This video was produced by Kogia in partnership with Oceanic Global.
Wonder: Sustaining What Sustains Us
The ocean’s wonder is what draws us in and often drives our desire to protect it.
Wonder is the foundation of scientific knowledge, the allure behind exploration, the curiosity that drives innovation, and the seed of traditional wisdom. In the face of increasingly daunting challenges, the act of wondering serves to remind us that we are part of something bigger. It wakes us up to our inherent connection to the earth and to each other, expands our understanding of what is possible, empowers innovation and prioritizes decision-making for collective well-being.
This World Oceans Day, we celebrate the ocean’s essential wonder from all of the wonders it consists of to the wonder it ignites, and call on decision-makers to not lose sight of the ocean’s wonder when determining its fate.
IMPACT HIGHLIGHTS
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8 June Celebration
United Nations World Oceans Day activated on 8 June in Nice, France ahead of the 2025 UN Ocean Conference In Nice, France (9 – 13 June, 2025). The unique alignment of two major UN ocean events presented an unprecedented opportunity to amplify visibility and collaborative efforts for the ocean, and resulted in a global celebration of the ocean’s wonder.
Celebrating World Oceans Day in Nice, France
Sylvia Earle and Vladimir Jares (DOALOS) holding the World Oceans Day Flag.
Image Credits - Fraser Morton
Fabien Cousteau on the Tara Vessel.
Image Credits - Fondation Tara Océan
Image Credits - Fondation Tara
With the 2025 theme "Wonder: Sustaining What Sustains Us", the day's program set the tone for the semi-annual conference and called on decision-makers at UNOC and around the world to honor the ocean's wonder when determining its fate. UN WOD 2025 was marked by a boat parade, gathering vessels around the world in a journey from Monaco to Nice, along with the official raising of the World Oceans Day flag.
Global ocean leaders including Sylvia Earle and Fabien Cousteau were presented with flags ahead of the World Oceans Day Parade of Boats. The World Oceans Day flag was officially raised by Fabien Cousteau aboard the Tara vessel, which kick-started the raising of the flags by not only the local fleet, but also in cities and UN Member States around the world. The flags, which were made possible by Solgaard, unified global stakeholders in a symbolic moment celebrating the ocean as the world’s greatest wonder and calling on decision-makers to treat it that way.
the 12TH annual
world oceans day
photo competition
winners presentation
On 11 June, the winners of the 12th Annual World Oceans Day Photo Competition were officially presented at UNOC3 during the event at La Baleine (Green Zone) by Ellen Cuylaerts, Curator & Underwater Photographer.
The presentation was followed by a panel discussion featuring winners Rachel Moore, marine conservationist and storyteller (1st Place, Wonder Category), and Ken Findlay, biologist and environmental photographer (Honorable Mention, Above Water Seascapes Category). The discussion was moderated by Fernando Cabrera Díaz, Legal Officer of the United Nations Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea, and included participation from Ellen Cuylaerts.
Explore the winners of the 2025 Photo Competition for UN World Oceans Day.
These stunning photographs capture the essence of awe, reverence, and wonder for the ocean and all it sustains
—reminding us why it deserves to be recognized as one of the world’s great wonders.
Here are the 1st place winning photos from the four featured categories:
Remarks from the UN Legal Counsel
“The Theme of Wonder: Sustaining What Sustains Us captures a very profound truth — that our relationship to the ocean is most deeply personal. It’s universally shared. The wonder that we feel when we witness and experience the majesty of the ocean is exactly the kind of energy, feeling, and strength that we need to take with us...”
- Ms. Elinor Hammarskjöld
at the oceanic global sea of stars reception
Get Involved in UN WOD 2025
UN World Oceans Day 2024 Recap Video
Get Involved in UN WOD 2025
Featured Speakers
-
Naoko Ishii
Professor at The University of Tokyo | Director, Center for Global Commons | Former CEO and Chairperson, Global Environment Facility -
Johan Rockström
Director of the Potsdam
Institute for Climate Impact
Research -
Eman Mounir
Climate Journalist -
Karen Sack
Executive Director,
Ocean Risk and
Resilience Action Alliance -
Rayne Sullivan
Founder, SEASTORIA -
Miguel de Serpa Soares
Under-Secretary-General
for Legal Affairs and
United Nations Legal Counsel -
Meadow Walker
Founder & President, the Paul Walker Foundation -
Brett Jenks
CEO, Rare -
Dave Erasmus
Chair, Aqoustics -
Barkha Mossaë
Regenerative Blue Economy
Manager, IUCN -
Bailey Bass
Actor, Producer &
Entrepreneur -
Francois Bailet
Senior Legal Officer, Division
for Ocean Affairs and the
Law of the Sea, Office of
Legal Affairs, United Nations -
H.E. Mr. Dennis Francis
President of the
United Nations
General Assembly -
Shyla Raghav
Chief Climate Officer,
Time Magazine -
Lea d'Auriol
Executive Director & Founder,
Oceanic Global -
Lomijoh
Singer, Songwriter Producer -
Xiye Bastida
Executive Director,
Re-Earth Initiative -
Sweta Chakraborty
CEO of North America,
We Don't Have Time -
Derek Blasberg
Fashion Editor & Curator -
Louis Cato
Recording Artist and Bandleader of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert -
Sylvia Earle
Explorer at Large, National
Geographic & Mission Blue
Schedule
Depths of Commitment:
Opening Remarks & Performance
United Nations representatives and high-level speakers opened UN World Oceans Day with remarks on the 2024 theme ‘Awaken New Depths.’ Featuring a special message about the United Nations Ocean Conference and an artistic performance by Performing Artist, Giselle World.
Lea d’Auriol
Founder & Executive Director, Oceanic Global
Miguel de Serpa Soares
Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and United Nations Legal Counsel
H.E. Mr. Dennis Francis
President of the United Nations General Assembly
H.E. Mr. Arnoldo André-Tinoco
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Costa Rica
H.E. Mr. Hervé Berville
Secretary of State for the Sea and Biodiversity, France
Bailey Bass
Actor, Producer & Entrepreneur
Giselle World
Performing Artist
Planetary Boundary Keynotes
Two high-level keynotes delving into the role of the ocean within earth’s broader ecosystems, and demonstrating how humanity’s treatment of the ocean has impacted the planet’s equilibrium as a whole. The presentations challenged the notion that the ocean is limitless, underscored the tangible realities of the boundaries that have been breached, and spoke to the level of change needed to restore balance.
Johan Rockström
Director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research
Naoko Ishii
Professor at The University of Tokyo | Director, Center for Global Commons |
Former CEO and Chairperson, Global Environment Facility
Depths of Understanding:
Science & Wisdom Fireside Chat
Science & Wisdom Fireside Chat: The Importance of Diverse Knowledge for Deep Understanding
Moderator: Sweta Chakraborty
CEO of North America, We Don't Have Time
Xiye Bastida
Executive Director, Re-Earth Initiative
Sylvia Earle
Explorer at Large, National Geographic & Mission Blue
Depths of Compassion:
New Depths Spotlights
Through 5-minute spotlight presentations, this segment shares personal stories, discoveries, and innovations that touch our hearts to move us towards change.
Moderator: Derek Blasberg
Fashion Editor and Curator
Rayne Sullivan
Founder, SEASTORIA
Eman Mounir
Climate Journalist
Dave Erasmus
Chair, Aqoustics
Winners Announced: Photo Competition
The eleventh annual Photo Competition is coordinated in collaboration between the United Nations Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea (DOALOS), DivePhotoGuide (DPG), Oceanic Global, the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), the United Nations Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (OHRLLS), the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO and Nausicaa.
Moderator: Meadow Walker
Founder & President, the Paul Walker Foundation
Curator: Ellen Cuylaerts
Freelance Underwater, Wildlife Photographer and Curator 2024 World Oceans Day Photo Competition
Photo Competition Host: Ian Bongo-Seldrup
Managing Editor and Chief Operations Officer, Dive Photo Guide
Judge: Mohamed Rifshan Shaheem
Photographer & Dive Center Operator [Awaken New Depths]
Judge: Ian Bongo-Seldrup
Managing Editor and Chief Operations Officer, Dive Photo Guide [Small Islands Developing States]
Judge: Tom St George
Underwater Photographer [Above Water Seascapes]
Judge: Mayumi Takeuchi-Ebbins
Underwater Photographer [Big and Small Underwater Faces]
Judge: Julia Gugelmeier
Cave Instructor & Explorer [Underwater Seascapes]
Musical Performance
Musical Performance by Louis Cato
Louis Cato
Recording Artist and Bandleader of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Depths of Collaboration:
Blue Economy Panel
A panel discussion on re-evaluating and financing our economic approach to the ocean, considering the increasing challenges facing our ocean and the central role that the ocean plays in sustainable development.
Moderator: Shyla Raghav
Chief Climate Officer, Time Magazine
Karen Sack
Executive Director, Ocean Risk and Resilience Action Alliance
Barkha Mossaë
Regenerative Blue Economy Manager, IUCN
Brett Jenks
CEO, Rare
Closing Remarks & Performance
Closing remarks from the United Nations and Oceanic Global summarizing key messages and calling on continuous action to protect our blue planet. Featuring musical performance by Singer, Songwriter & Producer, Lomijoh.
Lea d'Auriol
Executive Director & Founder, Oceanic Global
Francois Bailet
Senior Legal Officer, Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea, Office of Legal Affairs, United Nations
Lomijoh
Singer, Songwriter & Producer
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