Peace Boat US is excited to announce its participation in the upcoming 2025 UN Ocean Conference: the high-level 2025 United Nations Conference to Support the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development, which will be co-hosted by France and Costa Rica and held in Nice, France, from June 9 – 13, 2025. Peace Boat US looks forward to coordinating and organizing events with government, United Nations and civil society partners throughout the Conference advocating for the sustainability of our Ocean.
The overarching theme of the conference is “Accelerating action and mobilizing all actors to conserve and sustainably use the ocean.” The conference aims to support further and urgent action to conservation and sustainable use of sea and marine resources for sustainable development and identify further ways and means to support the implementation of SDG 14, Life Below Water.
In parallel to the official program, a limited number of high-level side events may be organized by UN Member States, UN entities, International Organizations (IGOs), and all accredited stakeholders. Peace Boat US will hosting an array of events during this important week. See here for details: https://sdgs.un.org/conferences/ocean2025
Mobilizing Youth to Advance Ocean Literacy and Protection
Date: Tuesday, June 3
Time: 10:00 am -12:00 pm
Location: Ocean Literacy Hub, Green Zone
In collaboration with the French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development and the international organization Peace Boat US, we invite you to join us for this special event to highlight the importance of fostering a dialogue between science and society. We will demonstrate how this approach helps to mobilize young people to protect the environment,
by empowering them as informed and engaged actors.
One Ocean Science Congress
Date: June 3-6
Info: https://one-ocean-science-2025.org/
Peace Boat US will participate in the the inaugural One Ocean Science Congress, hosted by The UN, CNRS and Ifremer, bringing together leading ocean scientists, policymakers, and stakeholders to advance ocean knowledge in support of sustainable development. The congress will feature high-level dialogues, scientific sessions, and networking to help shape the future of ocean science. Nice, France, June 3–6.
UNOC 2025 Shoreline CLEANUP
Date: Saturday, June 7, 2025
Time: 9:30 am – 12:00 pm
Upstream Action, Downstream Impact: Citizen Action to Stop Ocean Pollution at the Source
Date: Saturday, June 7
Registration now open: https://niceplogging.com/unoc3
On June 7, we’ll kick-off Ocean week with a shoreline clean up of the Paillon river together with international partners including Captain Fanplastic, Peace Boat US, UOCEAN, SOS Mares, Oceanic Global, Blue Planet Alliance, Nice plogging and many more, along with local youth, environmental advocates and UNOC participants. With a fun, family-friendly atmosphere and an educational twist, the event will focus on SDG 14.1: reducing marine pollution from land-based activities.
TiDAL ShiFTS Gallery Exhibition for Ocean Literacy
Date: June 7-13
Location: NEO GALLERY, Art & Culture Lab x VogelART
6 bis rue Lascaris, 06300 Nice, France
Info: https://musicforthesea.org/tidal-shifts
On the occasion of the 2025 UN Ocean Conference, TIDAL SHIFTS, will be presented through a transdisciplinary collaboration of partners as an immersive audiovisual exhibition and symposium bridging ocean science, sound, art, and community action to foster Ocean Literacy and public engagement. Inviting participants to explore the Ocean as a source of wonder, intercultural dialogue, and shared responsibility, this initiative is co-created to support Challenge 10 of the UN Ocean Decade — restoring humanity’s relationship with the Ocean — and contributes to SDG 14 and the global goal to protect 30% of marine environments by 2030. This event will include various ocean and climate partners, working together for the United Nations Ocean Decade through educational programs, art and multi-sectoral collaborations. We welcome volunteers to join us at the Gallery space during the UNOC 3 Conference in Nice and help raise awareness about the inspiring artwork and events that will be hosted during this important week for the ocean.
Apply to join us as a volunteer in Nice at our gallery events here by May 31:
https://bit.ly/Volunteer-UNOC-Tidal-Shifts
Ocean justice: Championing fair and inclusive blue economy
Date: Monday, June 9
Time: 13:00-14:30
Location: NEO – art & culture lab x Vogel ART
VogelART LAB SARL
6 bis rue Lascaris, 06300, Nice, France
Register here to attend the side-event.
As discussion around sustainable use of the ocean expands, it is critical to deepen our understanding about justice within new developments in the marine environment (Germond-Duret et al., 2023). Little attention has been given to the lived experience of ocean-dependent communities who are particularly at risk of social injustice and dispossession, and to their very definition and understanding of the notion of ocean justice (Bennett et al, 2023). This solution-focused event will explore how different speakers and participants understand ocean justice and the obstacles to achieve inclusive blue economy. The meeting will provide an avenue for participants to share their innovation and best practices that could serve as viable routes to ocean justice.
Chair: Dr Senia Febrica, Department of Politics, Philosophy and Religion, Lancaster University
Speakers:
H.E. Arief Havas Oegroseno, Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia (Keynote speaker)
Dr Francois Bailet, United Nations Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of The Sea (UNDOALOS)
Dr Celine Germond-Duret, Department of Politics, Philosophy and Religion, Lancaster University
Mr. Andrew Coriakula, Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, the Government of Fiji
Emilie McGlone, Peace Boat US
Dr Alexandra R. Harrington, Chair of the IUCN WCEL Agreement on Plastic Pollution Task Force, Lancaster University
Alison Clausen, Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO
Partners:
Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, the Government of Fiji; Peace Boat US; United Nations Development Programme Archipelagic and Island States Forum Secretariat (UNDP AIS); Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO; International Union for Conservation of Nature World Commission on Environmental Law (IUCN WCEL) Agreement on Plastic Pollution Task Force; Segara Nusa Nawasena, Indonesia.
Mobilizing Youth for Ocean and Climate Action – Harnessing Citizen Science and Capacity-Building
Date: Tuesday, June 10
Time: 12:15-13:30
Location: Room 1, Blue Zone, UN Ocean Conference Port Lympia in Nice
Info: https://peaceboat.org/english/news/unoc3_sideevent_kiribati_youth
The side event led by the Government of Kiribati in collaboration with the Governments of Palau and Chile along with various NGO partners will highlight the importance of mobilizing youth to accelerate ocean action through capacity-building and citizen science, with a focus on SIDS youth on the front lines of the climate and ocean crises. It will showcase the power of youth representation in shaping ocean governance and the blue economy. Featuring initiatives like Peace Boat’s global voyages and the Africa-Europe Youth Ambassador Programme, the event will emphasize cross-sector partnerships for youth engagement in research, policy, and outreach. Speakers will come from diverse regions and sectors and include youth leaders, the Permanent Representative of Palau to the UN/AOSIS Chair, representatives from Kiribati, the Government of Chile, the Africa-Europe Foundation, the Indian Ocean Commission, Civil society organizations and academia.