The Government of the Republic of Indonesia will host the fifth Our Ocean Conference in Bali on 29 and 30 October 2018. Our Ocean Conference is focused on generating commitments and taking actions to maintain the sustainability of our oceans. Since 2014, Our Ocean Conference has successfully generated commitments totaling around 18 billion dollars (USD) and 12.4 million square kilometers of marine protected areas. Our Ocean Conference 2018 will demonstrate significant progress on past commitments and inspire new commitments made for the continuation of a more concerted and integrated actions for protecting the oceans.
Our Ocean Conference 2018 will convene participants from countries across the globe to ensure diverse perspectives from various stakeholders, including governments, commercial sectors, financing entities, scientific communities, civil society organizations, and young leaders. Heads of States, Ministers, and champions from various backgrounds will also be invited to influence concrete and actionable commitments to preserve the oceans' health.
THE THEME
The oceans carry not only living artifacts and history, but also the promise of our future. Its undulating vastness holds our key to economic growth, food security resources as well as solution to curb the impact of climate change. However, the oceans are under immense pressure due to adverse impact of human activities. Marine pollution, bleaching coral reefs, raising sea temperature, and unsustainable fishing continues to occur. Indirect threat to the oceans also uncloaked with the recent findings on human trafficking in fishing operations, wildlife trafficking, as well as arms and drugs smuggling.
We have a choice to choose the kind of legacy we will leave for the future generations; and that choice depends on the actions we take today. Our Ocean, Our Legacy will be the theme of this year's Our Ocean Conference, as it reflects our choices and actions to maintain the sustainability of our oceans' resources and to preserve our ocean's health, as a heritage presented for our children and grandchildren.
THE CONFERENCE
The main objective of Our Ocean Conference is to increase as well as enhance the collaboration and partnership between various ocean stakeholders, which is translated into concrete and actionable commitments. Participants are encouraged to announce their commitments during the conference, as it critically contributes towards global efforts to preserve the oceans' health. Discussions during the Conference will highlight integrated and actionable solutions, which remove barriers between sectors, disciplines, and financing streams to comprehensively address the ocean as an inter-connected system and economy.
Our Ocean Conference 2018 will continue to focus on marine protected areas, sustainable fisheries, marine pollution, and climate change-related impacts to the oceans. This year's Our Ocean Conference will also maintain the crosscutting themes of sustainable blue economy and maritime security, as introduced by the European Union in 2017.
Our Ocean Conference 2018 will consist of plenary meeting, exhibitions and
Our Ocean, Our Legacy Youth Leadership Summit. Participants are also encouraged to host side events to showcase leadership and foster more commitments to preserve our ocean.
A LEGACY FOR THE FUTURE
Our Ocean Conference 2018 looks to drive political will in taking actions to preserve the oceans' health. Our Ocean Conference 2018 will also continue to engage young innovators as an important element of the Conference, and to energize discussions, challenge assumptions as well as to ensure their continued development as future leaders and champions of the ocean.
Our Ocean Conference 2018 will continue the strong tradition of tracking past commitments and encouraging new commitments and partnerships that deliver multiple objectives. It will also introduce the Our Ocean Commitment Registry, to facilitate tracking and review of past and new commitments. While maintaining its global reach, Our Ocean 2018 is the first conference to be held in Asia, and as such will highlight the importance of action in the region.
As the largest archipelago in the world with its 17,000 islands, Indonesia represents the lifeline that Our Ocean holds for humankind. Through collaboration, we are committed to ensuring a successful conference focused on sustainable ecological and economic approaches to protecting and restoring Our Ocean - for the good of our treasured marine resources, our tourism, our fishers, our coastal communities, and all of our people. Together, we will make a difference with the choices we make, the actions we take, and the legacies we leave because it is Our Ocean, and Our Legacy.
AREAS OF ACTION
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