More than a hundred individuals and groups of young people sent in their works in response to the invitation to tell a story in words or moving pictures about this year's motto of World Ocean Day "Our Ocean, Our Future". They came from nine countries: Argentina, Cameroon, Canada, Indonesia, Nigeria, Peru, Philippines, Senegal and USA.
An international jury looked carefully at their submissions and chose the winners across the six categories of the contest.
And here are the winners
Story in writing, age group up to 12 years old
Adeleke Anointed, 12 years from Akure, Nigeria, wins a Turtle Prize for his "World Ocean Day Story".
The following schools / groups are awared Samba and Kumba Encouragement Prizes for engaging the youngest ones already with ocean themes and the need to protect it: Centre éducatif bilingue - Les Petits Lapins, Yaoundé, Cameroon; Centre Petit Joss, Yaoundé, Cameroon, Ecole Hydrobase, St. Louis, Senegal, Mundus maris Chapter FCFMT Lagos, Victoria Island, Nigeria.
Story in writing, age group 13 to 18 years
Gillian Sherrill, of Missoula International School, USA, convinced the international jury with her Spanish poem "Querido Mundo" (on the right). She won a Sea Lion Prize with her courage to express herself in her second language.
Abdulrahman Oluwaseun Fakoya, from Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria, tells the tragedy of a father whale getting killed by trying to protect is son and finishes with an invitation to reflect about the choices we make and what future we want. The jury awarded him a Sea Lion Prize for his story.
Adegoroye Adetoun, of FUTA Staff Secondary School, Akure, Nigeria, wins a Turtle Prize for his story about two cities who lose the benefits of the healthy ocean they share due to lack of cooperation and self-restraint.
Olajuyigbe Daniel, of FUTA Staff Secondary Akure, Nigeria, also wins a Turtle Prize for his discussion on the importance of a healthy ocean.
Sheriff Azeez, from Lagos, Nigeria, tells the story of the Ogoni people and their connection to the sea and wins a Turtle Prize as well.
Léa Yanou, from Yaoundé, Cameroon, submitted a cartoon that earned her a Turtle Prize.
Nina Erving, of Missoula International School, USA, won a Shark Prize.
Samba and Kumba Encouragement Prizes went to
- Adeleke Blessed, 14 years, of FUTA Staff Secondary School, Akure, Nigeria
- Domchie Nebi Sali Abdalasis Cabrel, 17 years, Cameroon
- Gold Havilahhazaiah, of FUTA Staff Secondary School, Akure, Nigeria
- Ogunwale Temitope Esther, FUTA Staff Secondary School, Akure, Nigeria
- Olatunde Abisola Mary, FUTA Staff Secondary School, Akure, Nigeria
Story in writing, age group 19 to 24 years
Gobina Moukala Paola, 20 years from Cameroon, wins a coveted Sea Lion Prize for her dream story "Retrospective of the Imminent".
Achu Prince-Will, 19 years, from Yaoundé, Cameroon, wins a Turtle Prize for his appeal to heal the sick ocean and its creatures.
Alawode Bukunmi, 21 years, of the Federal College of Fisheries and Marine Technology and the Mundus maris Chapter FCFMT Lagos, Nigeria, wins a Turtle Prize for his essay on the key challenges to the ocean and what can be done about them.
Edwige Pauline Ngambi, 24 years, from Yaoundé, Cameroon, receives a Turtle Prize for her futures story about a young Cameroonian women.
Mangai Emmanuel Tobi, 20 years, of Bells University of Technology, Ota, Nigeria, wins a Turtle Prize for his poem "Our Ocean, Our Future".
Nansi Kono Yvan Junior, from Cameroon, receives a Turtle Prize for his Ocean poem in English and French.
Rubyann Robelle L. Polido, 23 years, of the SeaLifeBase Project in Los Baños, Philippines, also wins a Turtle Prize for her ode to the ocean "Where else but here".
Fashade Blessing Olamide, 21 years from Victoria Island, Nigeria, pleads for more care for the ocean and wins a Shark Prize.
Tolulope David Adeleye, 21 years from Akure, Nigeria, was awarded a Shark Prize for his poem about "Our Ocean, Our Future".
Samba and Kumba Encouragement Prizes go to Alah Emmanuel Akomaye, 21 years, from Abuja, Nigeria, Eric Ayodu Ayokunle, 19 years, Lagos, Nigeria, and Jim Aniebiet Etok, 21 years, Victoria Island, Nigeria.
Video story, age group 13 to 18 years
Michelle Lutan, 18 years, from Jakarta, Indonesia, convinced the jury with her video "Where did the beautiful, mysterious blue go?". She won a Turtle Prize.
Akoa Moise Vivien, 18 years, from Cameroon, won a Shark Prize for his video song "Arrêtez ça" pointing the finger to bad marine pollution and appealing for its immediate stop.
Video story, age group 19 to 24 years
Zahrah Izzaturrahim, 21 years, social anthropology student in Semarang, Indonesia, won a coveted Sea Lion Prize for her video "SEGARA" (Ocean in Javanese), in which she and her team, all from University of Diponegoro, explore what the ocean means to the fishers in Tambak Lorok. Team members were Karina Amaliantami Putri, Regy Waluti and Fariza Rahmadinna.
Congratulations to all winners, participants and supporters, not to forget the international jury, for their excellent contribution towards raising more awareness about the ocean and protecting it altogether more effectively.
Happy World Oceans Day!