UN World Oceans Day 2025 is 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.

8 June 2025

Photo Competition
for World Oceans Day 2025

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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