United Nations World Oceans Day 2022

Revitalization:
Collective Action for the Ocean

Wednesday, 8 June 2022
Generous Contribution of Oceanic Global Made Possible by La Mer

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

Segment Videos

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

António Guterres

Amber Valletta

Amber Valletta

Editrudith Lukanga

Editrudith Lukanga

Abdulla Shahid

Abdulla Shahid

Jade Lozada

Jade Lozada

Sylvia Earle

Sylvia Earle

Ralph Chami

Ralph Chami

Sheena Talma

Sheena Talma

Schedule

Opening Remarks

10:00 am

High-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 am

Marine 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 am

The 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 am

Spotlights 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 am

Remarks 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 am

Announcement 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 am

The 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 pm

Bart 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 pm

Julian 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.

Learn

Discover stories, resources, and videos to learn more about our shared blue planet.

Explore

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

Explore

A 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.