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Each
year
since
2009,
United
Nations
World
Oceans
Day
(UN
WOD)
has
celebrated
the
vast
life-sustaining
world
that
covers
70
percent
of
our
planet,
more
than
90
percent
of
which
remains
unexplored.
The
theme
of
this
year’s
UN
WOD
is
“Wonder:
Sustaining
what
sustains
us,”
in
celebration
of
the
watery
world
that
produces
at
least
half
of
Earth’s
oxygen,
is
the
home
of
most
of
the
biodiversity
on
the
planet
and
is
the
primary
source
of
protein
for
over
one
billion
people.
“It
is
our
life
source,
supporting
humanity’s
sustenance
and
that
of
every
other
organism
on
earth,”
a
UN
press
release
said.
“Not
to
mention,
the
ocean
is
key
to
our
economy
with
an
estimated
40
million
people
being
employed
by
ocean-based
industries
by
2030.”
With
all
the
ocean
provides
for
us,
its
ecosystems
need
our
help.
Ninety
percent
of
large
fish
populations
have
been
depleted,
and
half
the
world’s
coral
reefs
have
been
destroyed.
We
are
taking
more
than
nature
can
replenish
from
the
ocean
and
must
create
a
new
balance
that
restores
it
rather
than
overtaxing
its
bounty.
UN
WOD
on
June
8
was
the
kickoff
to
the
UN
Ocean
Conference
from
June
9
to
13
in
Nice,
France.
The
purpose
of
UN
WOD
is
to
remind
everyone
of
the
enormous
role
oceans
play
in
our
everyday
lives.
Not
only
are
they
the
lungs
of
the
planet
and
a
main
source
of
medicine
and
food,
they
are
a
crucial
part
of
the
biosphere.
Bringing
our
collective
attention
to
the
ocean
on
UN
WOD
also
serves
as
a
reminder
of
the
impact
human
actions
are
having
on
the
ocean
in
order
to
mobilize
and
unite
us
to
work
toward
sustainable
management
of
our
oceans.
The
wonder
of
our
oceans
is
being
celebrated
this
year
with
a
variety
of
events
that
include
a
screening
of
the
documentary
film
The
Last
Dive
at
the
Tribeca
Film
Festival
and
the
presentation
of
photographs
by
the
winners
of
the
2025
World
Oceans
Day
Photo
Competition
during
a
UN
Ocean
Conference
panel
on
June
11.
The
spectacular
images
will
be
displayed
all
week
at
NEO
VogelART
LAB
in
Nice
and
New
York’s
The
Explorer’s
Club.
“This
World
Oceans
Day,
we
celebrate
the
ocean’s
essential
wonder
from
all
of
the
wonders
it
consists
of
to
the
wonder
it
ignites,
and
call
on
decision-makers
to
not
lose
sight
of
the
ocean’s
wonder
when
determining
its
fate,”
the
UN
WOD
website
said.
UN
WOD
is
co-hosted
by
the
Division
for
Ocean
Affairs
and
the
Law
of
the
Sea
of
the
Office
of
Legal
Affairs
of
the
UN,
along
with
nonprofit
Oceanic
Global.
“[T]he
day
celebrates
the
wonder
that
the
ocean
inspires
in
us:
its
beauty,
its
mystery,
and
its
vital
role
in
our
lives
and
on
the
planet.
This
day
reminds
us
of
our
deep
connection
with
the
sea
and
calls
for
its
protection
through
decisions
guided
by
curiosity,
wisdom,
and
a
commitment
to
collective
well-being,”
the
press
release
said.
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