Mobilizing support in Indonesia towards COP15

On November 25-29, I had the incredible pleasure of hosting the 30x30 Youth Ocean Conference in Bali, Jakarta, and virtually to mobilize support for ocean protection towards COP15. Engaging +130 people from +40 institutions, participants had the opportunity to learn from the amazing speakers and create letters to world leaders, among other activities.

The first stop of the conference was held on November 25th at the Ministry of Environment and Forestry Bali. Participants brainstormed solutions to Bali's most critical environmental concerns as a team. We were joined by speakers from Jaladharma Diving Club and PPLH who shared about responsible diving and policy advocacy on plastic waste.

The next day, we hosted a virtual conference joined by Coral Triangle Center's Rili Djohani (Executive Director) and Marthen Welly (Marine Conservation Advisor). Participants learned about 30x30, the importance of MPAs, and engaged in a fun learning activity about ocean acoustics.

Finally, on November 29th, the last stop of the conference took place in Indonesia's largest indoor aquarium - the Jakarta Aquarium & Safari. We were joined by Amehr Hakim (Marine Conservation Area Coordinator) from the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries who shared about MPAs in Indonesia and the country's commitments to protecting the ocean. We were also joined by Andre Saputra (Marine Scientist/Geologist, Founder and Director of Indonesia Biru Foundation) who shared about his experiences in marine conservation.