And the winners are...
The Jury unanimously selected Stephanie González, from Monte Hermoso, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, 18 years with her cartoon titled "Pensar el mar" (Think the Sea) as winner of the Special Bluefin Tuna Prize. Congratulations!
The jury selected four winners of the Sea Lion Prize:
- Gimena Salcedo and Milagros Ailén Martínez from Monte Hermoso, 16 years, for their dream ocean story in the age group 13 to 18 years, "El mar, una forma de vida" (The sea, a form of life),
- Damaris Mghambi from the Star of the Sea Primary School, Mombasa, Kenya, 12 years, excelled with her cartoon "Your health, my health" in the age group up to 12 years,
- Stefanía Ayelén Garcia, 13 years from Monte Hermoso, with her management advice "¿Qué harías si tuvieras que decidir cómo cuidar mejor los océanos?" (What would you do if you had to decide who to care better for the oceans) submitted in the age group from 13 to 18 years,
- Stephens Omonon Margaret, 18 years, from Akute, Ogun State, Nigeria, for her well written and referenced management piece titled "My Dream for the Ocean" in the same group..
The Jury also conferred Turtle Prizes on seven individual or group participants, four were in the dream ocean text category in different age groups, two were cartoons and one was in the category of how to care better for the ocean:
- The Kindergarten in Spa - CRIE de Spa, Belgium, who had submitted a lovely illustrated text about the ocean visiting the Ardennes. This was result of a nature stage attended by 15 kids with Vinciane Mathieu as pedagogical coordinator,
- Bubacarr Jarju, from the Serrekunda Lower Basic School in the Gambia, with his nicely illustrated dream story "Prince of the Ocean" in the age category 13 to 18 years,
- Syed R. Tanzim, from Bangladesh, for his illustrated dream text "A dive into the future".
- Yanou Ndjaba Lea Ornela, 19 years, from Cameroon, for her illustrated dream ocean text titled "Il était une fois... " (Once upon a time...), recognised in the age group 19 to 24 years,
- Elizabeth Njeri, 13 years, from Star of the Sea Primary School, Mombasa, Kenya, for her cartoon with a snapshot of marine biodiversity, submitted in the age group from 13 to 18 years,
- Mariam Aboul, 13 years, also from Star of the Sea Primary School with a cartoon in the same category and age group.
- Quadri Blessing Emmanuel, 24 years, from Owutu, Ikorodu in Lagos State, Nigeria, has been recognised for his illustrated text on how to care better for the ocean in the age group 19 to 24 years.
The jury also recognised the following participants for the Shark Prize:
- Ecole primaire Khadim in Hann directed by Magath Diop with a team composed of three girls and six boys. The story about the ocean of their dreams in the age group of up to 12 year-olds is titled "sur notre rêve" (About our Dream).
- Imat Rohimat, 19 years, from Indonesia submitted his dream ocean story in the age group 19 to 24 years and titled it "Blue Economy for Indonesia".
- Fadairo Bamikole Festus, 11 years, from the FUTA Staff School in Akure, Nigeria submitted his winning ocean care text in the age group of up to 12 year-olds under the title "Water, water, water". Mrs. Adams A.B. is his instructor.
- Adebayo Kehinde, 24 years, from Alagomeji, Yaba in Lagos State, Nigeria wrote successfully about how to take better care of the ocean in the age group 19 to 24 years.
Finally, the jury awarded the Samba and Kumba Encouragement Prize to participants, who did not quite make the mark, but came close. The jury hopes that they feel stimulated to learn more about the ocean and its amazing life forms and help protect these creatures more effectively. Fishbase and SealifeBase are wonderful web archives to look up basic information about the names, biology and distribution of sea creatures.
Three encouragement prizes in the dream ocean text category for up to 12 year-olds:
- Abdallah Swaleh, 12 years, from Kilifi Primary School, Kilifi, Kenya,
- George Mary, 8 years, from the Next Level Academy, Akure, Nigeria,
- Olowooke Marvelous, 9 years, also from the Next Level Academy in Akure, Nigeria.
In the category of dream cartoons in the age group 19 to 24 years, Encouragement prizes were garnered by
- Essomba Jean Patrice and Nguekam Piewe Othniel Yvan from Cameroon, coached by Ms Jeauberte Djamou Tchuidjio, who also supported other participants from the country,
- Quadri Blessing Emmanuel from Nigeria for his second submission.
Last but not least, another Encouragement Prize each went also to Khadim Primary School for their second submission in the category of management advice for up to 12 year-olds and to Rose Muthoni Kariuki, 14 years, from Kongowea Primary School, Mombasa, in the age group 13 to 18 years.
CONGRATULATIONS to all participants, particularly the winners of Mundus maris awards 2015! See all the winners at one glance here.
The best entries will now be prepared for publication in a multi-media book on the web. The book will be open access to encourage many other young people to connect to the ocean as well. The editorial work is planned to be a group effort among several groups, who also excelled through organising specific World Ocean Day events or otherwise demonstrate sustained commitment.
The collaboration between Mundus maris and several other organisations also organised several events on or just before World Ocean Day.
