World Oceans Day 2024
World Oceans Day takes place on 8 June each year as a global celebration of the ocean, marine life and all ocean activities. World Oceans Day was first declared at the 1992 Global Forum in Rio de Janeiro, with the aim to bring the ocean to the center of global discussions and policy decision-making processes, and to strengthen the voice of ocean and coastal constituencies worldwide. For the United Nations and its partners, World Oceans Day is a day for scientists, policy-makers and citizens to grow closer and interact around the key and emerging challenges our ocean faces today.
While the official UN designation for World Oceans Day is still 8 June, the 2024 event will be celebrated on Friday 7 June.
The theme of World Oceans Day in 2024 is “Awaken New Depths.” To commemorate this day, ISA is hosting its fourth World Oceans Day art competition, on the theme “Beneath the Surface: Unveiling Hidden Realms.” This includes a local competition for school children under the age of 16 in Jamaica and a global competition for participants worldwide over the age of 16. The winners in both categories will be announced on 7 June during ISA’s celebrations of World Oceans Day.
Winners of ISA art competition
The International Seabed Authority is pleased to announce the winners of its art competition organized for World Oceans Day 2024 in two categories, international and local.
International competition
open to everyone around the world over the age of 16
First prize
Gabadage Dona Bhagya Madhubhashini (30), Sri Lanka
Description
Our childhoods were filled with stories about the ocean and mermaids that we loved, and this drawing brings those childhood dreams to life.
At the heart of the illustration lies a massive, mysterious portal door glowing with strange symbols. Interesting, right?!
We can see the shadow of a huge and strange octopus coming through the portal, its body covered in the same glowing symbols as the door. Perhaps it is guarding the mystery portal.
The seascape is filled with a magical vibe, from vibrant corals to tiny, firefly-like creatures. Some glowing manta rays swim close by, and they bear the same mystical symbols as the portal door. A nearby ancient shipwreck hints that past explorers tried to reach this portal but met an unfortunate fate.
This artwork encourages viewers to unleash their imagination power.
In the real world, scientists explore the mysterious depths of the ocean, revealing its wonders. We are grateful for their efforts in helping us understand this unseen world.
May this drawing inspire little kids to dream of becoming ocean explorers!
Second prize
Mohamed Chiboub (40), Morocco
Description
In “Catalan Memory,” I invite viewers into a swirling mosaic of blues and turquoise, a celebration of fluidity and motion inspired by the mesmerizing beauty of the sea. This piece captures the essence of the ocean’s rhythm, where each brushstroke and shape reflect the dance of light upon water, evoking a sense of tranquillity and endless possibility.
The artwork’s geometric fragmentation is reminiscent of Antoni Gaudí’s architectural marvels, specifically his use of trencadís, a technique of broken tile mosaics. The irregular shapes and vibrant hues create a dynamic visual symphony, paying homage to the Catalan Modernism movement. As the eye follows the spiral pattern, it is drawn deeper into the vortex, symbolizing a journey through memory and time.
“Catalan Memory” embraces spontaneity and emotion through an abstract impressionist approach. The varying shades of blue represent the depth of the sea and sky, conveying feelings of peace, introspection and infinity. The intricate arrangement of each piece suggests a meticulous yet organic process, mirroring the natural world’s blend of chaos and order.
“Catalan Memory” is a tribute to the timeless beauty of the Mediterranean and the artistic heritage of Catalonia, inviting viewers to explore their connections to these powerful, enduring elements.
Local competition
open to school children under the age of 16 in Jamaica
Winners of the 2023 art competition “Mysteries of the Abyss”
Winners of the 2022 art competition “Deep-sea exploration”
First prize:
Tyler Lobban (15)
Description
I decided to base my piece off real and imaginary creatures. I decided to paint a jelly mermaid with a glowing jellyfish in front of her. The jellyfishes that she’s inspired by are the phantom jellyfish and the black sea nettle. She’s inspired by the phantom jelly because they are rare to find because they live in the deep, and also the black sea nettle in terms of her design elements. I made the background dark with a bit of blue to show her bioluminescence in the dark. I decided to take a mythical approach because over eighty percent of the ocean is unmapped, unobserved and unexplored, we have no clue of what might lie in the deep abyss of the ocean. This art piece was started on 20 May and was completed on 25 May. I decided to call my artwork “jellies in the deep ”.
The use of primary colours in this piece was deliberate. I wanted to keep the colour palette as uncomplicated as possible.
I used yellow as highlights and red as shadows. The choice of red as shadows was a contrast to the blue because I did not want the blue to overpower the entire piece. The main focus of the piece is the astronaut. I chose an astronaut because they explore space, similar to how divers explore the ocean and how both environments are mostly unknown.
The juxtaposition of the astronaut in the ocean mirrors real life in that we can only see the beauty in situations if we are willing to come out of our comfort zones and appreciate environments that may be unfamiliar. Although divers and astronauts both explore unfamiliar places, an astronaut is geographically the furthest away from a diver. I therefore thought it would be very fitting for an astronaut to be “Beneath the Surface: Unveiling Hidden Realms.”
Second prize:
Llori Seville (11)
Description
There has always been a mystery surrounding the infamous Mariana Trench.
The image depicts two divers who were brave enough to satisfy their curiosity by visiting a section of the area. The Mariana Trench is in the western Pacific Ocean, and because of its depth, it is extremely dark and spooky. The trench stretches for more than 1,580 miles in length and is deeper than the height of Mount Everest, which is the tallest mountain in the world.
The image teaches us that there are always hidden treasures that provide pockets of light in every situation, no matter how dark it may appear.
Third prize
Shawn Chin-See (14)
Description
My artwork, entitled “Deep Conversation,” was completed on 30 May 2024.
I did some research before attempting this painting and became intrigued by the bioluminescent creations of the deep. I learned that the earth is over 71 per cent water and that the oceans account for over 90 per cent of that figure. I can only imagine that many underwater creatures may be undiscovered. Vessels like bathyscaphe are one of many built by humans to explore the deep seas. The vessel in the painting is my interpretation of a deep-sea diving vessel like the bathyscaphe. This artwork is a gesture of respect to the animals of the deep. Also, the artwork acknowledges the many adventurers and scientists who may have explored the deep seas to understand better the animals living there.