Featuring Ximena Corrales, Peace Boat US intern and participant in IOI Ocean Academy Mexico
As the international community prepares to mark United Nations World Oceans Day 2026, the importance of youth leadership in advancing ocean conservation and sustainable development continues to grow. Young people are not only future stewards of the ocean, but active contributors to the work that must be done today. Through education, international exchange, and community engagement, youth can play a vital role in shaping a more just and sustainable future for our shared ocean.
For young people who do not come from traditional marine backgrounds, access to ocean education can be a turning point. This is reflected in the journey of Ximena Corrales Loustalot Laclette, a young Mexican intern with Peace Boat US who is seeking to build a professional path in the marine field. Although her academic background is in engineering, Ximena has actively looked for opportunities to strengthen her foundation in ocean-related issues and deepen her understanding of the field. In that process, International Ocean Institute (IOI) Ocean Academy Mexico was, and continues to be, a key step, allowing her to broaden her perspective, strengthen her knowledge of key ocean topics, and deepen the commitment that now guides her growing work in ocean conservation.
This path will continue when Ximena joins Peace Boat’s Youth for the SDGs voyage later this year, further connecting her educational journey with an international experience centered on sustainability, cross-cultural exchange, and youth leadership. For Ximena, the voyage is especially meaningful because one of its destinations will be Mexico, allowing her to connect this experience to her own country, community, and regional context. Her participation reflects the ways in which ocean education can help equip young people not only with knowledge, but with the confidence and opportunity to contribute to broader efforts for ocean conservation.
In this interview, Ximena reflects on her personal connection to the ocean, the importance of IOI Ocean Academy Mexico in her learning journey, her experience with Peace Boat US, and her perspective on the role of young people in advancing ocean conservation and sustainable development.
1) Ximena, you have a deep personal connection to the ocean and come from a family of divers. Could you share why the ocean holds such importance in your life?
Ximena:
“The truth is that the ocean has always been part of my life. This connection to the sea comes from my family. I come from a family of divers, but above all it comes from my grandfather, who dedicated his life to the underwater world. He was director of the National Technical Committee of FMAS, the Mexican Federation of Underwater Activities, and today his work is recognized in the Hall of Fame of the Mexican Sports Confederation. More than anyone, he has been the one who brought me closer to the ocean and taught me the importance of taking care of it.
During many summers I visited my grandparents in the Port of Veracruz, and that is where this very special connection began. Since I was a child, I participated in summer marine biology courses at the Veracruz Aquarium. The first time I put on a mask, I was very little and I saw everything blue in the middle of nowhere. I was very surprised, and I understood that what I was seeing was the ocean.
Thanks to those courses and to my grandfather teaching me how to dive, a deeper interest in the sea awakened in me. For me, the ocean represents a family connection. Being underwater, observing those ecosystems, and feeling part of that environment is something that excites me so much.
As I grew older, I also began to understand that the ocean must be respected and that it is essential to our lives, not only because it regulates the climate, supports enormous biodiversity, feeds communities, and connects the entire world, but also because it reminds us how deeply connected we are to nature. That is why my interest in the ocean comes both from the love and emotion it gives me, and from the desire to protect it, communicate its importance, and contribute to its care.”
2) Could you tell us how you first became acquainted with Peace Boat and its work?
Ximena:
“I learned about Peace Boat because in October 2025 I took the course ‘Tourism and Oceans: Challenges and Opportunities for Sustainable Development in Mexico’ from IOI Ocean Academy Mexico. I remember that in one of the sessions, Peace Boat US Director Emilie McGlone spoke about what Peace Boat was and about its programs. Everything she shared caught my attention so much, and the truth is that I really connected with their approach. As soon as the session ended, I went straight to apply for the internship and also for the Youth for the SDGs program. Months later, they confirmed that I had been selected to be part of the group of interns for this 2026 semester, and soon I will participate in the Youth for the SDGs voyage, whose route will pass through Panama, Guatemala, and will have a final stop that is very special to me: Mexico.”
3) Could you reflect on your experience with IOI Ocean Academy Mexico?
What inspired you to enroll in the course, and what did you find most valuable about the experience? In what ways did the course help prepare you for, or strengthen your application to, Peace Boat US?
Ximena:
“I am an industrial engineer graduated from Universidad Anáhuac Mayab, and although my professional background was in engineering, I always knew very clearly that I wanted to focus my path on the ocean. During my last years of university, I began looking for courses that would help me get closer to this field in a more serious way, because I also needed training and a stronger foundation in order to become truly involved in a real and more purposeful way. That is why I decided to enroll in the IOI Ocean Academy Mexico course.
What really caught my attention was that it was such a complete and structured program, with sessions that addressed very diverse topics but ones that were deeply connected to each other, such as ocean literacy, ocean balance, ocean governance, sustainable coastal development, integrated coastal zone management, and sustainable coastal tourism. For me, it was very valuable because it not only allowed me to learn concepts, but also to better understand how all these topics are related to one another and how they directly impact Mexico and our coastal communities.
Something the course gave me was a broader vision of the ocean. IOI Ocean Academy Mexico helped me go deeper into topics that I did not know as much about and made me realize that talking about the ocean also means talking about sustainability, public policy, coastal management, responsible tourism, conservation, and social development. In addition, by listening to different speakers and perspectives, I understood that working for the ocean requires interdisciplinary approaches, and that profiles that sometimes do not seem ‘traditionally marine,’ like mine from engineering, still have a lot to contribute.
Another very valuable aspect was the final project. At the end of the course, we created an infographic, and in my case I developed it on ocean sustainability linked to SDG 14. That project helped me put into practice what I learned, connect the course content to a concrete global agenda, and translate complex ideas into a clear message. For me, it was a way to move from theoretical learning to a more applied and personal reflection.
The course strengthened my candidacy for Peace Boat US because not only did it give me more tools and knowledge, but also reaffirmed my commitment to these issues. Thanks to that course, I learned about Peace Boat. It helped me connect my personal interest in the ocean with more concrete training, and it also prepared me to join international and multidisciplinary spaces like the ones I now experience within Peace Boat.
What I take from this experience is that these kinds of courses really do generate impact. Not only because of what one learns in terms of content, but because they open perspectives, help you connect with people and institutions, and can become a gateway to opportunities that later transform your professional career path. In my case, that is exactly what happened: the course not only strengthened my training, but also helped confirm that I want to continue building my path around the ocean.”
4) In your view, what role can young people play in generating positive change for the ocean?
Ximena:
“I believe that as young people we have a great responsibility to care for the ocean, because in the end we are the ones who are going to live with many of the consequences in the future. But I also think that to create a positive impact, you do not always need to do something huge; many times, with small actions you are already contributing a lot. From changing certain habits to sharing with other people the importance of the ocean, everything adds up. If we want future generations, even our grandchildren, to be able to know what a coral is, what a marine ecosystem is, and what a healthy ocean is, then it is our turn to act now and do something to protect it.”
5) Looking back on your experience as a Peace Boat US intern, what have been some of the most meaningful lessons you have learned?
Ximena:
“The truth is that Peace Boat is an incredible organization, and I feel that this experience has helped me so much, not only to grow professionally, but also as a person. It has opened my mind to topics that were not so present in my life before and that now seem very important to me, such as nuclear disarmament and peace education. These are issues that, with everything we are living through today, I believe we should all know more about.
Also, on a personal level, it has been a very valuable challenge because it is already a professional, multicultural environment and in another language, which has allowed me to experience up close what it is like to work at an international level. This semester I am the only Latina on the team, and although the Peace Boat US offices are in New York, they have given me the opportunity to get closer to ocean-related issues with their partners here in Mexico, which for me has been incredible.”
Following this experience, how would you like to contribute to ocean protection and sustainable development within your community?
Ximena:
“After Peace Boat, I would love to continue my education by doing a master’s degree focused on ocean issues. I am very interested in ocean governance and I would like to continue contributing, especially on topics related to the implementation of the United Nations High Seas Treaty, which in Mexico. I would also like to contribute to my community through education, awareness, and projects that help more people understand the importance of the ocean and our relationship with it.”
What message would you share with other young people who may be interested in participating in programs such as IOI Ocean Academy Mexico and Peace Boat?
Ximena:
“The message I would give to other young people is that they should follow their dreams. Sometimes we believe that because we studied something very specific, we can no longer move toward other paths, but I believe there are always ways to build a new direction if you are truly passionate about it. The most important thing is to do it with love, with passion, and with a real desire to learn, because in the end that shows in everything you do and also makes you enjoy the process much more.”
6) From your perspective, which regional initiatives are particularly important for advancing marine conservation?
Ximena:
“I believe that a very important example of regional effort for marine conservation is the work around the Mesoamerican Reef System, which connects Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras. For me, it was a topic I was able to understand better through my experience with Peace Boat and Mesoamerican Reef Day. It helped me see that marine conservation sometimes cannot be thought about only from one country or from only one point of view, because there are ecosystems like this one that are connected.
Speaking in the context of Mexico, we have a megadiverse country with incredible marine and coastal ecosystems, and that implies an enormous responsibility to know them, value them, and work to protect them. To do that, it is also necessary to understand the social contexts of the communities that are related to these ecosystems. For example, it is not so easy to tell a person to leave their home if they have lived there all their life, or to ask a fisher to stop fishing when their livelihood depends on it. So conservation also means listening, understanding, and looking for solutions that take into account the reality of people.
For me, this MAR Day program helped me a lot to ground that idea and to understand that change also begins within our communities because, being honest, conservation cannot be done while ignoring the social and economic reality of people.”
7) You recently participated in MAR Day in recognition of Mesoamerican Reef Day in Mexico. Could you tell us more about that experience and how this collaboration came together?
Ximena:
“Through Peace Boat and its MAR Day partners, on March 10 Mesoamerican Reef Day was celebrated, a very important date to highlight the importance of the Mesoamerican Reef System. Thanks to Peace Boat, I had the opportunity to participate in this initiative, meet some of its partners here in Mexico, and get a little closer to the work they do for marine conservation.
One of the most meaningful experiences I had was in Tulum, where I visited the waste collection center ‘Tulum Circula.’ It was very impactful to see the amount of waste they are able to collect, much of it coming from coastal and marine areas. That visit helped me understand in a much more tangible way how waste management is carried out and that it is also directly connected to the health of the ocean.
In addition, within the framework of MAR Day, and thanks to the collaboration with Universidad Anáhuac Mayab and the support of my former academic coordinator, Eng. José Luis Escalante, I had the opportunity to give a talk during Engineering Week titled: ‘The Ocean Also Needs Engineers: A Look from Peace Boat, MAR Day, and the Ecoship Project.’ It was a very special experience because it allowed me to bring this conversation to university students and show them how engineering can also contribute to ocean protection.”