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Throughout March and April Prof. Stella Williams and members of the Mundus maris team in the Lagos area have been tirelessly promoting key messages of ocean protection with a particular emphasis on women and ocean in preparation of World Oceans Day celebrations. They made altogether three visits to the University of Lagos, notably to Prof Oyibo, the Director of Center for Research and Innovation, and to the Head of Department, Marine Sciences.

As we approach World Oceans Day 2019 and local celebrations by Mundus maris and its partners in several countries, the ocean stories - in writing and pictures and projects have come in. They responded to the invitation to participate in the contest for Mundus maris Awards. So we are happy to present international jury who brings an interesting mix of professional, cultural and age perspectives to the task of selecting the best submissions under this year's motto "Women and Ocean - The female faces of the ocean".

The visit of the Mundus maris club in Akure, Nigeria, to T.A. Afolayan Wildlife Reserve Park of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria, on 20 April 2019 was a welcome opportunity to explore different facets of nature conversation. The aim of the reserve park is to protect the ecological integrity of the remaining rainforest ecosystem within its conservation area. The park provides the opportunity to interact with nature such that visitors are allowed to enter under special consideration for educational, recreational and inspirational purposes. Among its core objectives is conservation awareness creation. It is noteworthy that it combines both in-situ and ex-situ conservation measures.

The General Assembly 2019 of the European Geosciences Union (EGU) (Vienna, Austria, from 7 to 12 April 2019) was attended by more than 16.000 scientists from some 100 countries. A good half of the participants were below 35 years. Since several years Mundus maris participates at the EGU General Assembly, with active contributions within the Education and Outreach Symposium, including in April 2019. Why is it worth the effort?

Gesine Meissner, Special Envoy of the President of the European Parliament on Maritime Affairs (left) opened the event in the hemicycle in Brussels, 20 March 2019, marking a premiere for the spotlight on the ocean in the EP. The conference was organised jointly by the EP and the European Commission. Until the early hours of the evening a long list of speakers took the floor to attest their commitment to the ocean, its sustainable use, recognition of its major role in stabilising the planet's climate and a vast array of essential goods and services: Euro-deputies, senior officials of the European Commission and national governments, scientists, representatives of young people, civil society, businesses, educators and media people.

Two coordination projects funded by the European Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme - MARINA and ResponSEAble - joined forces again for their final event. The ocean dialogues at the science-policy-society interface convened 18-19 March 2019 in Brussels were intended to draw together findings, showcasing educational tools in support of Ocean Literacy (OL) and promote responsible research and innovation (RRI) for effective ocean governance. Four topics were discussed in some depth and networking was rife.

After weeks of Fridays for Climate that raised the temperature of the public debate, Brussels saw the biggest climate strike march in 24 Belgian cities and towns this Friday, 15 March 2019. Led by young people, but mobilising participants of all age groups, civil society organisations, trade unions, various public administration personnel the marchers sent a clear signal to politicians and companies to stop dragging their feet and act.

Mundus maris Awards for World Oceans Day 2019

The Female Faces of the Ocean

The United Nations have dedicated World Oceans Day 2019 to Women and Ocean. The Mundus maris Awards would like to contribute with the following contest and its prizes.

How to protect the ocean from plastic pollution? The integrated school in Sint Lambrechts Woluwe, Brussels, with its class of children with hearing problems and their teachers wanted to know more. Thus, thanks to a project of the school with the association Indigo they invited Mundus maris asbl to give a scientific course on this subject.

Biofach shows that "bio" has outgrown childhood and is becoming a bigger business every year. The Bundesverband Naturkost Naturwaren (BNN), a business association of mostly retailers of natural foods and other natural products naturally had a booth at the fair and also contributed actively to the workshop and conference programme running parallel to the trade show. Cornelia E Nauen of Mundus maris and board chair of Q-quatics was invited by BNN to talk about sustainable fish and criteria, which would make it easier for retailers to navigate the often treacherous value chains to ensure offering only sustainably produced seafood.

Combining practice and theory always adds a lot to understanding a problem and its solutions. In this sense, the dynamic science teacher at the Montjoie Institute in Uccle, Ms Nlandu, came to the Mundus maris booth during the 2018 environment festival to discuss the possibilities of collaboration. Since then, the work programme of the year has consolidated and another class has joined. Thus, on February 11, 2019, an excursion to the Senne in Anderlecht was made.