The day began with discussions featuring experts from various fields, including Stephen Davis from DG Mare, who spoke about the EU Mission Ocean and Waters and Ocean Literacy. Other speakers varied from Gabrielle Bernoville from the DG for Education and Culture (EAC) to Diane Vandesmet and Juliet Earth from Client Earth, including Lucie Padovani from Surfrider Foundation, who was joined by artist and activist Marion Lescaut. Michel Van Camp from the Museum of Natural Sciences and artist Ruben Voka stepped up in tandem, addressing the mechanisms of rising sea levels, from a scientific and an artistic perspective, respectively.
From JPI Oceans, Thorsten Kiefer delivered an engaging talk titled "Beyond Fish & Ships: Cutting-edge Ocean Topics to Look Out For." He went over a bouquet of increasingly critical areas in the face of climate change, blue economic expansion, and technological innovation and automation. Deep-sea research was pitched, along with sound and light pollution, contamination risks from munition and shipwrecks, among others. He underscored the importance of integrating scientific research with policy action and inquired which topics sparked creative artistic thinking among the event attendees - with deep sea coming out on top.
Art played a prominent role in ocean advocacy throughout the day. Attendees engaged with scientists, marine experts, and artists. These art and activism sessions provided a fresh perspective on the emotional and ethical dimensions of ocean sustainability, creating an impactful experience for all participants.
At a guided visit to the ‘Seas & Oceans’ exhibition, artists explained their pieces, offering deeper insights into their creative process and motivation. Designed to raise awareness on ocean conservation matters, the exhibition facilitated a dialogue between art and science. JPI Oceans contributed in the making of the exhibition, providing scientific inspiration for the artists and creating scientific background information for the display.
The World Ocean Day event at TALK C.E.C was a joyful celebration of the ocean, both acknowledging its beauty and the risks it faces. The event successfully blended scientific and political topics, artistic expression, and passionate advocacy, demonstrating the power of interdisciplinary approaches.
To visit the ‘Seas & Oceans’ exhibition for further inspiration and more details, check the Talk C.E.C. website here: https://talk-cec.com/.
