The World Ocean(s) Day initiative was initially conceived by Canada’s International Centre for Ocean Development (Halifax, NS) in 1991. It was officially launched the following year, in 1992, in partnership with the Ocean Institute of Canada, on behalf of the Government of Canada, at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. 

Each year since World Ocean(s) Day volunteers and organizations around the world have mobilized families, schools, communities, businesses, and more to celebrate and help protect the health of the global ocean. World Ocean(s) Day was officially recognized by the United Nations as an international day of celebration in 2008 and is now celebrated widely across Canada and globally.

To learn more about World Ocean(s) Day past and present, check out Carol Amaratunga’s 2019 article: World Ocean Day: A Social Movement in Ocean Literacy.

To get involved in World Ocean(s) Day 2021, visit: https://unworldoceansday.org/

*“Ocean” or “Oceans”?

Although “oceans” commonly appears in the plural, referring to the 5 ocean basins (Atlantic, Arctic, Indian, Pacific, Southern), there is only one interconnected global ocean. By referencing the ocean in the singular, it helps to reinforce the interconnection and the need for collaborative action to ensure a healthy ocean.

While many resources and events refer to the “oceans” as plural, Ocean Week Canada and many of its partners are consciously moving to the “ocean” as singular.