NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MARITIME AFFAIRS IN COLLABORATION WITH THE PAKISTAN NAVY REFLECTS ON A SUCCESSFUL CELEBRATION OF WORLD OCEAN DAY 2023: “PLANET OCEAN: TIDES ARE CHANGING”

National Institute of Maritime Affairs
8th June 2023

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MARITIME AFFAIRS IN COLLABORATION WITH THE PAKISTAN NAVY REFLECTS ON A SUCCESSFUL CELEBRATION OF WORLD OCEAN DAY 2023: “PLANET OCEAN: TIDES ARE CHANGING”

Karachi, Pakistan – National Institute of Maritime Affairs, an advocate for ocean health and environmental conservation, observed a resounding success of the celebration of World Ocean Day 2023 in Pakistan. This momentous event, held on June 8, 2023, at Bahria Auditorium, embraced the theme “Planet Ocean: Tides are Changing”, highlighting the critical need for collective action to address the challenges facing our marine ecosystems and ocean resources.

The celebration in the forum of seminar served as a platform to reflect on the accomplishments of World Ocean Day and to galvanize continued efforts toward ocean conservation. The seminar was opened with welcome address by
Commodore (Retd) Ali Abbas SI(M) Director NIMA Karachi, who briefed about the key concept of World Ocean Day. The seminar was made successful with the participation of renowned international and national speakers. Dr. Jian Lin, Chair Professor Southern University of Science and Technology from China, Dr. Shahid Amjad, Professor and HoD Environment and Energy Management IoBM, Dr. M Moazzam Khan, Technical Advisor WWF-Pakistan, and Dr. Maria Juan Jorda, Spanish Institute of Oceanography – CSIC from Spain presented their specific research papers.

The seminar brought together renowned experts, scientists, and policy makers who shared valuable insights, research findings, and innovative solutions. The discussions revolved around the impact of climate change, plastic pollution, and overfishing on our oceans, emphasizing the urgent need for collaborative action to protect and restore marine ecosystems.

The seminar was closed with an enlightening speech by the chief guest
Mr. Abdul Bari Pitafi, Minister for Livestock and Fisheries Sindh, who elaborated at length about the challenges faced by our oceans and the maritime sector, what needs to be done and the associated constraints. The speeches were followed by an enthusiastic and intellectually rewording Question and Answer Session. Various stakeholder, researchers, professionals and students put forth pertinent questions and suggestions.

In his note of thanks, Director NIMA extended gratitude reflect on the accomplishments of this event, let us remember that our actions today will shape the future of our oceans. We must continue to work together, embracing sustainable practices and advocating for policies that prioritize the protection and conservation of our precious marine ecosystems.