World Ocean Day celebrations in Kribi, Cameroon
The Grand Batanga public school had the privilege of receiving the delegation of Ocean Volunteers of Cameroon (Bénévoles océan) led by Jeauberte Djamou, who came to Kribi for the celebration of World Ocean Day on June 08, 2021. The stage was set before 10am. The current health instructions required the various participants to strictly observe the safety measures, in particular wearing protective face masks offered by the Volunteers to all participants.
The mayor of Kribi participated in person and was greeted by a welcome song. The choir also specifically expressed gratitude for sponsorship by Mundus maris wishing the team health and success in their work for international solidarity. The director of the Grand Batanga school welcomed the school inspector, the mayor and all guests of honour.
The mayor payed particular tribute to the Ocean Volunteers and their partners. She also exhorted the children to ensure more participation in Mundus maris Awards next year as high performers could obtain significant amounts of prize moneys.
As part of the programme and in addition to speeches by the guests of honour some pupils performed the fishermen's dance (see picture below).
Educational games were played to promote ocean protection.
The centre piece of the day was, of course, the hand-over of the honorary diplomas for participation and the prizes for the winners.
The top honour at the Grand Batanga school went to Liza Britanie, 8 years, whom the international jury of the Mundus maris Awards had selected for a Turtle Prize.
She proudly posed with her diploma.
In her closing remarks the school inspector reminded the audience how Jeauberte Djamou had made her do the annual Mundus maris ocean quiz two years ago.
After doing her work for many years in Kribi, feeling the closeness of the sea and the connection, the constant reminders and pleas had at last alerted her more clearly to the importance of ocean protection and World Ocean Day celebrations. She went on to say:
"It does indeed have its place, as long as we see our environment being destroyed, our children must be sensitized. I also appreciate the Mundus maris Prize contest which is launched every year and which gives our children a voice.
This year we passed the information, but not all the schools responded on time. Next year I will do more so that we can have several winners in Kribi and that the celebration is extended to several more schools."
In closing the Ocean Volunteers thanked their various partners and reminded everybody that the ocean.
• Produces about 50% of the global oxygen and stores 50 times more carbon than the atmosphere.
• Covers about 70% of the earth's surface and carries heat from the equator to the poles, thus regulating our climate and weather phenomena.
• Is a valuable source of leisure for humankind.
• Provides more than just seafood.
• Provides seafood as a source of protein and nutrition to more than 3 billion people.
• Provides a vital source of livelihood. The ocean is the source of millions of jobs in the fishing, transport and tourism sectors.
• Contains various medicinal substances, some of which may help fight cancer, osteoarthritis, Alzheimer's disease and heart ailments.
• Is an important player in world trade through maritime transport.
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Photos by Jeauberte Djamou.