World Ocean Day 2024: Date, Theme, History, Significance, Quotes & Activities

World Ocean Day is celebrated every year on 8 June. This year the theme of WOD is Awaken New Depths.

World Ocean Day 2024.

(Photo: iStock)

World Ocean Day 2024: Every year on 8 June, the world celebrates Ocean Day (WOD). It is a significant event to raise awareness about the necessity of protecting the ocean and the sustainable development goals that can be achieved through it. World Oceans Day is celebrated as part of the global movement '30x30' with the aim of safeguarding at least 30% of the world's land, waters, and oceans by 2030.

This day provides an opportunity to raise public awareness about the necessity of sustainable ocean management and the implementation of global sustainable development goals. It also serves as a reminder of the importance of the ocean in our planet's economy and society.

According to un.org, ocean covers more than 70% of the planet, and it plays a vital role in sustaining humanity and other organisms on Earth. The ocean produces at least 50% of the planet's oxygen, and it is home to most of the planet's biodiversity. The ocean is also a major source of protein for more than a billion people worldwide.

World Ocean Day 2024 Date

This year, World Ocean Day will be celebrated on Saturday, 8 June 2024.

World Ocean Day 2024 Theme

The theme of World Ocean Day 2024 is 'Awaken New Depths'. There is also an action theme for WOD 2024, which is 'Catalyzing Action for Our Ocean & Climate'.

According to unworldoceansday, "Our relationship to the ocean needs to urgently change, and our efforts have only skimmed the surface to date. To motivate widespread momentum for the ocean, we need to awaken new depths."

World Ocean Day presents an important opportunity to address the challenges faced by the Oceans. It is high time that we take steps to conserve and protect our ocean resources for future generations. This can be achieved through sustainable practices in our daily lives and by investing in ocean conservation projects.

History of World Ocean Day

The UN General Assembly designated 8 June as World Ocean Day on 5 December 2008. The concept of World Ocean Day was first proposed in 1992 at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. The day was established in order to celebrate the shared ocean and the connection of every individual with the sea. It also aims to raise awareness about the significant role that the ocean plays in our daily lives.

The UN Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea is actively organising various activities for World Oceans Day in an effort to increase public awareness of the role that the UN and international law can play in the sustainable development and use of the oceans and their living and non-living resources.

Significance of World Ocean Day

Today, we are facing one of the greatest threats ever to our planet and all its inhabitants, the climate crisis. It is clear that a healthy climate is essential for a healthy planet, and oceans play a major role in this. The oceans provide oxygen for the planet, and they regulate the global temperature. They are also a major source of food and medicines, and cannot be ignored or mistreated any longer. It is time to raise awareness about the importance of the oceans in our everyday lives. This can be done by educating ourselves on their role in the biosphere, and by supporting policies that promote a sustainable future for our planet. By taking action now, we can help to build a better future for our oceans and for future generations.

World Ocean Day Activities: How to Celebrate the Day?

World Oceans Day is a day dedicated to celebrating the oceans and the importance of preserving and protecting them. You can celebrate World Ocean Day in different ways, following are some of the World Ocean Day Activities 2024.

• Participate in ocean clean up campaigns and help to restore the oceans. This may include volunteering at a local beach, cleaning up trash that surrounds the ocean, or taking a picnic lunch with reusable containers. By taking small steps, you can make a big difference in helping to preserve the ocean.

• Attend seminars, workshops and educational events to increase your knowledge about the oceans. This will help you in knowing the challenges faced by oceans currently, and their prevention measures.

• Start online campaigns on World Ocean Day to create awareness about the day. Use #worldoceanday, #worldoceansday, #WOD, and more.

• Watch films about oceans to enhance your knowledge about the concept of helping out the oceans.

It is important to take some time to appreciate the beauty and serenity of the ocean. Engage in ocean activities, learn more about the ocean ecosystem, and make a difference in the world. By taking small steps, you can make a big difference in helping to preserve and protect the oceans for future generations.

World Ocean Day Quotes

• We have salt in our blood, in our sweat, in our tears. We are tied to the ocean. [John F. Kennedy].

• Whenever I look at the ocean, I always want to talk to people, but when I'm talking to people, I always want to look at the ocean. [Haruki Murakami].

• I have always been fascinated by the ocean, to dip a limb beneath its surface and know that I'm touching eternity, that it goes on forever until it begins here again. [Lauren DeStefano].

• The sea does not like to be restrained. [Rick Riordan].

• The ocean stirs the heart, inspires the imagination and brings eternal joy to the soul. [Robert Wylan].

• Because there's nothing more beautiful than the way the ocean refuses to stop kissing the shoreline, no matter how many times it's sent away. [Sarah Kay].

• How inappropriate to call this planet Earth when it is clearly Ocean. [Arthur C. Clarke].

• I was happy anywhere I could see the ocean. [Ai Yazawa].

• Your heart is like the ocean, mysterious and dark. [Bob Dylan].

• I am the shore and the ocean, awaiting myself on both sides. [Dejan Stojanovic].

• A pool just isn't the same as the ocean. It has no energy. No life. [Linda Gerber].

(Disclaimer: Parts of this article were generated by AI and published after the content was editorially modified and verified by a human based on their own judgement and expertise. The Quint does not publish AI-generated content without direct human involvement and oversight).