Vaka Okeanos, UN Ocean Conference Nice – Inspiring a generation to take courageous action!

Our program:

Monday 9th june

9am – 12am

UNOC Explained – Youth peer to peer reporting from UNOC3

UNOC 2025 in Nice must not be an abstract summit, but must be made accessible as a reality. We want to bring the messages to the wider society, with particular focus on young people. We make ocean protection visible, tell the story and bring UNOC 2025 to where it belongs: to the wider society – with social media as the biggest lever.

Leading organisation:
Waves of Action
(wavesofaction.eu)

Contact:
woaunoc@gmail.com

1:30pm – 2pm

Vaka Okeanos – official guided tour for Blue Zone accredited guests | Tour 1

2pm – 2:30pm

Vaka Okeanos – official guided tour for Blue Zone accredited guests | Tour 2

3pm – 6pm

official guests visiting

Leading organisation:
Okeanos Foundation for the Sea

7pm – 9pm

“Moana Nui a Hiva – French Polynesia and friends Sustainable blue economy actors

Contact:
mareva.lechat@presidence.pf

Tuesday 10th June

9am – 11am

Thinking Local, Acting Global

Youth leaders activating place-based wisdom and cultural intelligence for ocean stewardship

Leading organisation:
Okeanos Foundation &
Hawai’i Green Growth and Kamehameha School Hawai’i

Contact:
unoc@okeanos-foundation.org

1:30pm – 2pm

Vaka Okeanos – official guided tour for Blue Zone accredited guests | Tour 1

2pm – 2:30pm

Vaka Okeanos – official guided tour for Blue Zone accredited guests | Tour 2

3pm – 6pm

Navigating Blue Futures: Indigenous Wisdom & Nature-based Finance for Ocean Protection

Join the Hinemoana Halo Ocean Fund aboard a traditional Pacific voyaging canoe for a transformative exploration of Indigenous-led ocean conservation and innovative blue finance. This unique side event brings together Māori and Pacific Indigenous leaders, conservation practitioners, and finance experts to showcase how traditional knowledge systems combined with modern scientific approaches are creating new pathways for effective marine protection and sustainable blue economies.

Contact:
svandijken@conservation.org

7pm – 9pm

“Moana Nui a Hiva – French Polynesia and friends Navigating the blue Pacfic continent”

Contact:
mareva.lechat@presidence.pf

Wednesday 11th June

9am – 10:30am

International Youth Talanoa with Youth / ECOPS – Active Hope in the Earth System Crisis

-Role of youth in ocean conservation
-Innovative solutions and scope for action to address rising sea levels and the impacts on marine ecosystems
-Building partnerships across sectors for ocean protection

Leading organisation:
Okeanos – Foundation for the Sea
German Council on Foreign Relations

Contact:
jana.steingaesser@okeanos-foundation.org
vinke@dgap.org

1:30pm – 2pm

Vaka Okeanos – official guided tour for Blue Zone accredited guests | Tour 1

2pm – 2:30pm

Vaka Okeanos – official guided tour for Blue Zone accredited guests | Tour 2

3pm – 6pm

Deep Sea Mining: Why we don’t need it

There is sufficient scientific evidence that the minerals of the deep sea are not needed even for a gigantic increase in demand for the energy transition, new communication technologies or weapons. Apart from an increasing number of states calling for a moratorium, an astonishing list of the world’s leading companies – including Apple, Google, Philips, Samsung, SAP, BMW, Renault, Scania, Volkswagen, Volvo – and banks are also calling for a global moratorium. A strong statement that has received far too little attention in public discourse. In our side event, we want to discuss which perspectives we need to shift the narrative of deep sea mining as a solution to our economic and ecological crises.

Leading organisation:
Deepwave

Contact:
deepwave.annagross@gmx.de

7pm – 9pm

“Moana Nui a Hiva – French Polynesia and friends Youth and culture knowledges”

Contact:
mareva.lechat@presidence.pf

Thursday 12th June

9am – 10:30am

Breakfast Conversation – From active Hope to Action. The Power of unusual alliances (Youth / ECOPS and Special Guests)

Informal roundtable between Youth / ECOPS / Special Guests
Focus: Building partnerships for ocean conservation, Upscaling action of Youth and ECOPS networks
Insights shared by youth delegates on challenges and solutions for their home regions
Opportunity for young delegates and panel speakers to connect and explore collaborative efforts for future initiatives

Leading organisation:
Okeanos – Foundation for the Sea
German Council on Foreign Relations

Contact:
jana.steingaesser@okeanos-foundation.org
vinke@dgap.org

1:30pm – 2pm

Vaka Okeanos – official guided tour for Blue Zone accredited guests | Tour 1

2pm – 2:30pm

Vaka Okeanos – official guided tour for Blue Zone accredited guests | Tour 2

3pm – 6pm

UNOC Explained – Youth peer to peer reporting from UNOC3

Leading organisation:
Waves of Action
(wavesofaction.eu)

7pm – 9pm

Vaka Okeanos, an island of Active Hope – for Youth and Young adults

Okeanos youth ambassadors invite you to come by, share your stories and approaches and connect with other young Ocean Ambassadors

Leading organisation:
Waves of Action
(wavesofaction.eu)

Friday 13th June

9am – 12am

“Moana Nui a Hiva – French Polynesia and friends Navigating the blue Pacific continent”

Contact:
mareva.lechat@presidence.pf

1:30pm – 2pm

Vaka Okeanos – official guided tour for Blue Zone accredited guests | Tour 1

2pm – 2:30pm

Vaka Okeanos – official guided tour for Blue Zone accredited guests | Tour 2

3pm – 6pm

UNOC Explained – Youth peer to peer reporting from UNOC3

Leading organisation:
Waves of Action
(wavesofaction.eu)

*Vaka Okeanos – official guided tour for Blue Zone accredited guests:
We welcome you onboard the Catamaran Vaka Okeanos, a balance of traditional Polynesian knowledge and modern technology. Explore this ocean-going canoe as you learn about its purpose in the Pacific as well as in the Mediterranean where we are currently focusing on reconnecting youth with the Ocean.

Contact for guided tours:
unoc@okeanos-foundation.org