LET’S KICK THIS OCEAN DECADE OFF WITH ACTION!

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Over 200 youth ages 13-25 from over 50 countries are coming together preparing to kick off the UN Ocean Decade with action and engagement. Participants will learn about the Decade, our world’s challenges, and solutions from distinguished speakers in research, cultural and indigenous leadership, policy and government. Youth leaders from around the world, including members of the Youth Advisory Council to the US National Committee for the UN Ocean Decade, will inspire! Participants will collaborate in determining what the UN Ocean Decade will be for their generation, as they are the greatest stakeholders of decisions made today on our Blue Planet.

Registration closed.

ALREADY REGISTERED? KEEP READING! ESSENTIAL INFORMATION FOLLOWS

FIRST THINGS FIRST! GET ORGANIZED NOW WITH YOUR SCHEDULE AND ZOOM LINKS

Follow these steps now, well ahead of the Summit.

(1) Determine whether your location for the Summit is different from the address you listed in your registration. If it is a different time zone than what was stated in your registration, please contact Emily at emily.berglund@heirstoouroceans.org

(2) All registrants should have received a YS2020UNOD NEXT STEPS email stating their assigned group and the password to enter their group’s private webpage. Please check spam folders and contact Emily at emily.berglund@heirstoouroceans.org if you are unable to find the email. Review below the Group your country/region is located in. That is your group for the Summit!

(3) With your group name in mind, head over to the menu bar on this page and click on “Youth Summit 2020 for UN Ocean Decade”. A drop-down menu will appear.

(4) On the drop-down menu, click on your group’s name SURGE, TIDE, or WAVE. To access the private page, type in the password that you received on your YS2020UNOD NEXT STEPS email. This important page contains your google calendar and schedule as well as steps to take in preparation for and attending the Summit.

Note, the Summit is available only to registrants who received notice that they are effectively registered and assigned a group.

GROUP SURGE
American Samoa
Australia
Canada (British Columbia)
CNMI/Saipan
FSM
Fiji
Guahan/Guam
Hong Kong
Indonesia
Japan
Malaysia
Marshall Islands
Myanmar
New Zealand
Palau
Singapore
South Korea
Taiwan
Thailand
US (PST + MST)

GROUP TIDE
Canada (Quebec & Ontario)
Costa Rica
Jamaica
Mexico (Tulum)
Peru
Puerto Rico
US (CST + EST)
U.S.V.I.

GROUP WAVE
Afghanistan
Argentina
Bangladesh
Belgium
Brazil
Czech Republic
Cameroon
France
Germany
India
Iran
Iraq
Italy
Kenya
Netherlands
Nigeria
Pakistan
Portugal
Serbia
Spain
Sweden
South Africa
Tanzania
Tunisia
Turkey
Uganda
U.K.

SCHEDULE

See your group google calendar for schedule details!

Surge

TIDE

WAVE

Day 1: TAKING IT ALL IN

Land Acknowledgement + Keynote Speakers
What is the UN Ocean Decade? Explained!
Meal Mixer
The Climate Crisis, the High Seas, & Blue Economy
Land + Ocean + Food + Us

Day 2: A DAY OF INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION

Global Youth Leader Speakers
Collaborate on Identifying the Intersectionality of Challenges and a Decade of Solutions
Getting our Voices Heard

SPEAKERS, PRESENTERS & YOUTH MODERATORS

M. Kalani Souza
KEYNOTE SPEAKER.
M. Kalani Souza is founding director of the Olohana Foundation. Kalani is a gifted storyteller, singer, songwriter, musician, performer, poet, philosopher, priest, political satirist, and peacemaker. A Hawaiian practitioner and cross-cultural facilitator, he has experience in promoting social justice through conflict resolution. Kalani inspires, challenges and entertains the listener while calling all to be their greater self. Kalani’s native roots allow him a unique perspective of the collision of two worlds: one steeped in traditional culture and the other a juggernaut of new morality and changing economic and political persuasion. He is a messenger of integration and collaboration in a world normally rife with exclusion, oppression, and hopelessness. His work in behavior modification research, leadership, team-building, and political strategy gives him generous insights into group dynamics and systems of governance.
M. Kalani Souza
KEYNOTE SPEAKER. M. Kalani Souza is founding director of the Olohana Foundation. Kalani is a gifted storyteller, singer, songwriter, musician, performer, poet, philosopher, priest, political satirist, and peacemaker. A Hawaiian…

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Kathy Jetñil-Kijiner
KEYNOTE SPEAKER.
Kathy Jetñil-Kijiner is a Marshall Islander poet, performance artist, educator. She received international acclaim through her poetry performance at the opening of the United Nations Climate Summit in New York in 2014. www.kathyjetnilkijiner.com/ Her writing and performances have been featured by CNN, Democracy Now, the Huffington Post, NBC News, National Geographic, and more. Kathy co-founded the youth environmentalist non-profit Jo-Jikum dedicated to empowering Marshallese youth to seek solutions to climate change and other environmental impacts threatening their home island. Kathy has been selected as one of 13 Climate Warriors by Vogue in 2015 and the Impact Hero of the Year by Earth Company in 2016. She received her Master’s in Pacific Island Studies from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.
Kathy Jetñil-Kijiner
KEYNOTE SPEAKER. Kathy Jetñil-Kijiner is a Marshall Islander poet, performance artist, educator. She received international acclaim through her poetry performance at the opening of the United Nations Climate Summit in…

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Ngedikes Olai Uludong
KEYNOTE SPEAKER.
Ngedikes Olai Uludong is serving concurrently as Ambassador on Climate Change, Permanent Representative of Palau to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the non-resident Ambassador of Palau to the Republic of Portugal and the Republic of Cuba. She is the Vice President Elect for the 75th Session of the General Assembly. Ambassador Uludong holds a Master of Science in Climate Change and a Post Graduate Diploma on Climate Change.
Ngedikes Olai Uludong
KEYNOTE SPEAKER. Ngedikes Olai Uludong is serving concurrently as Ambassador on Climate Change, Permanent Representative of Palau to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the non-resident…

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Dr. Vladimir Ryabinin
KEYNOTE SPEAKER.
Dr. Vladimir Ryabinin is the Executive Secretary of the IOC, the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO, and Assistant Director-General of UNESCO. He is an oceanographer, marine engineer, meteorologist, and climatologist. He originated several mathematical models for the ocean, atmosphere, wind waves, etc., and is an author of hundreds of scientific publications. Since 1980s, Dr Ryabinin has been involved in various capacities in the activities of the United Nations. In 2020, the Marine Technology Society awarded him with the Compass International Award as a recognition for his leadership in the design of international initiatives and as a champion for inclusivity in the planning team for the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030).
Dr. Vladimir Ryabinin
KEYNOTE SPEAKER. Dr. Vladimir Ryabinin is the Executive Secretary of the IOC, the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO, and Assistant Director-General of UNESCO. He is an oceanographer, marine engineer, meteorologist,…

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Tiza Mafira
KEYNOTE SPEAKER.
Tiza Mafira is a law and public policy expert specializing in environmental law, waste management, and climate change policy. She holds a Master of Laws from Harvard Law School and a Bachelor of Laws from Universitas Indonesia. Since 2013, she is co-founder and Executive Director of the Indonesia Plastic Bag Diet Movement (Gerakan Indonesia Diet Kantong Plastik), which pushes for less use of plastic bags in Indonesia through regulation and awareness, whose work has been instrumental in influencing 30+ cities in Indonesia to ban plastic bags. In 2018, she received mention as a UN Ocean Hero by United Nations Environment, for her work in successfully advocating for plastic bag bans in a number of cities across Indonesia. In 2019 the organization received the Mental Revolution award from the Government of Indonesia, and in 2020 Tiza received the Gen.T award given to 400 future leaders of Asia. She is one of the activists featured in the global documentary released in 2019, The Story of Plastic. Tiza also leads Climate Policy Initiative Indonesia, a non-profit think tank and advisory organization focused on public policy related to land use and energy transitions. Prior to this she worked for six years as a corporate attorney in Jakarta-based law firm, Makarim & Taira S., where she specialized in natural resources and forestry law.
Tiza Mafira
KEYNOTE SPEAKER. Tiza Mafira is a law and public policy expert specializing in environmental law, waste management, and climate change policy. She holds a Master of Laws from Harvard Law…

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Noëlla Coursaris Musunka
KEYNOTE SPEAKER.
Noëlla Coursaris Musunka is the founder of Malaika, a nonprofit that impacts thousands of lives in the Democratic Republic of the Congo through enhanced access to education and health programs. She is also an international model and philanthropist of Congolese/Cypriot heritage, an Ambassador for The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis & Malaria, and a voice for the power of girls’ education worldwide. Noëlla has shared her insight at a number of world-class forums, spanning the World Economic Forum in Davos to the university halls of Cambridge, Oxford, Harvard and MIT and the offices of UNICEF. In 2017, she was named one of the BBC’s 100 Most Influential & Inspirational Women of the Year, and she recently received an award from the House of Mandela at the Nelson Mandela centenary celebration.
Noëlla Coursaris Musunka
KEYNOTE SPEAKER. Noëlla Coursaris Musunka is the founder of Malaika, a nonprofit that impacts thousands of lives in the Democratic Republic of the Congo through enhanced access to education and…

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Dr. Melania Guerra
KEYNOTE SPEAKER.
Dr. Melania Guerra, from Costa Rica, received a Masters and Doctorate degrees in Oceanography from the University of California San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography and worked as an academic researcher at Cornell University and the University of Washington. She specializes in understanding underwater sounds from marine species and the negative impacts they experience from anthropogenic noise, a type of pollution caused by industrial activities. Her extensive oceanography field work has focused on the Arctic Ocean, which is dramatically affected by climate change. In 2018 Dr. Guerra was selected to the prestigious Nippon Fellowship of the United Nations Division of Ocean Affairs and Law of the Sea, a capacity building training in ocean governance and international law at the UN. With this expertise, she provides scientific advice to diplomatic delegations in international climate and ocean negotiation processes. Furthermore, she is an invited professor at the UN University for Peace, teaching Climate Governance. In early 2019, Dr. Guerra represented Costa Rica in the Homeward Bound expedition to Antarctica, a global leadership initiative for women in science, thus becoming the second Costa Rican woman to do science in both polar regions. Drawing on the high visibility of her unique polar exploration experiences, Dr. Guerra shares carefully curated scientific content and blogs about climate change through her social media accounts “La Tica Polar”, currently reaching over 12,000 people across 50 countries.
Dr. Melania Guerra
KEYNOTE SPEAKER. Dr. Melania Guerra, from Costa Rica, received a Masters and Doctorate degrees in Oceanography from the University of California San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography and worked as…

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Dr. Atsushi Watanabe
PRESENTER.
Dr. Atsushi Watanabe studied geography and earth and planetary science at the University of Tokyo. He worked as a postdoctoral fellow at Nagoya University from 2004 to 2008, and as an assistant professor at Tokyo Institute of Technology from 2008-2018. Dr. Watanabe studied carbon cycles in coral reefs and coastal blue carbon ecosystems and the impact of climate change or local stressors on these ecosystems. Since 2018, he has been working as a senior research fellow of the Ocean Policy Research Institute of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation, leading the blue economy and blue carbon policy research. Dr. Watanabe is Director of the Japan Blue Economy Association. He also acts as a councelor of the International Coral Reef Society and a representative of the Japanese Coral Reef Society.
Dr. Atsushi Watanabe
PRESENTER. Dr. Atsushi Watanabe studied geography and earth and planetary science at the University of Tokyo. He worked as a postdoctoral fellow at Nagoya University from 2004 to 2008, and…

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Dr. Gretta Pecl
PRESENTER.
Dr. Gretta Pecl is Director of the Centre for Marine Socioecology and Professor of Climate Change Ecology at the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies. Her research focuses on detecting and understanding the variation in rate and magnitude of climate-driven species redistribution. Dr. Pecl developed and leads the citizen science project Redmap Australia, the Range Extension Database and mapping project (www.redmap.org.au), which invites fishers and divers around the coastline to help monitor changes in species distributions in Australian seas. Dr. Pecl is the instigator and co-convenor of the ‘Species on the Move’ conference series (www.speciesonthemove.com), and she is working with international colleagues on a global network of marine hotspots to facilitate learning and communication among the world’s most rapidly warming ocean regions. Dr.Pecl is a Fulbright Fellow, an Australian Research Council 'Future Fellow', the Associate Editor for Review is Fish Biology & Fisheries, Ecography, and Citizen Science: Theory and Practice, as well as a Lead Author for the IPCC.
Dr. Gretta Pecl
PRESENTER. Dr. Gretta Pecl is Director of the Centre for Marine Socioecology and Professor of Climate Change Ecology at the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies. Her research focuses on…

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Stephen Ritz
PRESENTER.
Stephen Ritz is a South Bronx educator who believes that students should not have to leave their community to live, learn, and earn in a better one. An internationally acclaimed award-winning educator, Stephen is the author of the best-selling book "The Power Of A Plant'' and founder of nonprofit Green Bronx Machine. Known as “America’s Favorite Teacher,” Stephen is responsible for creating the world's first edible classroom. Stephen was a Top Ten Finalist for the Global Teacher Prize, named Global Humanitarian, Food Tank Hero, TEDx Prize Winner and a Global Food Educator, and he has presented at the Obama White House three times.
Stephen Ritz
PRESENTER. Stephen Ritz is a South Bronx educator who believes that students should not have to leave their community to live, learn, and earn in a better one. An internationally…

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Kanyon Sayers-Roods
PRESENTER.
Kanyon "Coyote Woman" (Hahashkani) Sayers-Roods is a Mutsun-Ohlone and Chumash Two Spirit Indigenous relative. She is proud of her heritage and her native name and is an active leader in the Native Community. Kanyon is the Co-founder & CEO of Kanyon Konsulting where she strives to bridge the gap between indigenous and contemporary value systems. Her goal is to make a difference in the lives of others by sharing her life experiences and knowledge about California Native Americans focusing on global education with emphasis on promoting understanding of the relationship between humanity and the natural world.
Kanyon Sayers-Roods
PRESENTER. Kanyon “Coyote Woman” (Hahashkani) Sayers-Roods is a Mutsun-Ohlone and Chumash Two Spirit Indigenous relative. She is proud of her heritage and her native name and is an active leader…

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Dr. Jason Scorse
PRESENTER.
Dr. Jason Scorse teaches courses in environmental and natural resource economics, ocean and coastal economics, and behavioral economics at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey. He is the Chair of the International Environmental Policy Program and Director of the Center for the Blue Economy. Dr. Scorse holds a position on the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Research Activities Panel and Save Our Shores’ Policy Committee and is the MIIS faculty liaison for UC-Santa Cruz’s MARINE program.
Dr. Jason Scorse
PRESENTER. Dr. Jason Scorse teaches courses in environmental and natural resource economics, ocean and coastal economics, and behavioral economics at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey. He is…

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Dr. Richard Spinrad
PRESENTER.
Dr. Richard W. (Rick) Spinrad is a Professor of Oceanography at Oregon State University (OSU), member of the Ocean Studies Board of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, and Vice-Chair of the U.S. National Committee for the Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. In 2016 he retired as Chief Scientist of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), where he had been appointed by President Barack Obama in 2014. Among his accomplishments, Dr. Spinrad was a co-lead of the White House Committee that developed the nation’s first set of ocean research priorities and oversaw the revamping of NOAA’s research enterprise.
Dr. Richard Spinrad
PRESENTER. Dr. Richard W. (Rick) Spinrad is a Professor of Oceanography at Oregon State University (OSU), member of the Ocean Studies Board of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and…

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Alfredo Giron
PRESENTER.
Alfredo is an André Hoffmann Fellow at the Stanford Center for Ocean Solutions and the World Economic Forum Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. His work focuses on the use of technology to support sustainable fisheries management and the reduction of Illegal, unregulated and unreported catch at a global scale. His previous experience includes projects for sustainable fisheries management in the U.S., Mexico, Canada, Palau, Solomon Islands, the European Union, and a series of studies at a global scale. Alfredo has more than 10 years of experience thinking of ways to better communicate science and display data in meaningful ways, such as in the platform dataMares, which he a co-founded in 2014. Alfredo is the first recipient of the Walter Munk Scholar Award by the Marine Technology Society and the Walter Munk Foundation for the Oceans in recognition of his work on using science and technology to improve the state of the ocean. He is also an EthicalGEO Fellow by the American Geographical Society for his work on developing methods to characterize poverty in fishing communities around the world. In the last 2 years, Alfredo has co-led efforts to include the voices of Early Career Ocean Professionals (ECOP) in international ocean sustainability conversations, most notably in the nascent UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development.
Alfredo Giron
PRESENTER. Alfredo is an André Hoffmann Fellow at the Stanford Center for Ocean Solutions and the World Economic Forum Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. His work focuses on the…

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Dr. Yichao Rui
PRESENTER.
Dr. Yichao Rui is a soil scientist at Rodale Institute overseeing soil health research and leading outreach initiatives to educate the public on the benefits of improving soil health. Dr. Rui holds a B.S. in Biology from Nankai University (China) and Ph.D. degrees in Microbial Ecology and Soil Science from the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences and Griffith University (Australia). Before joining Rodale Institute, Dr. Rui worked in the University of Western Australia and the University of Wisconsin-Madison on a variety of projects evaluating the impacts of climate change, land use, and management strategies on soil organic matter stability, nutrient cycling, and microbial activity. He is particularly interested in understanding the responses of soil microbial-regulated carbon and nitrogen cycles to climate change and land use. Identifying better management practices to improve environmental sustainability and resilience is the ultimate goal of his research.
Dr. Yichao Rui
PRESENTER. Dr. Yichao Rui is a soil scientist at Rodale Institute overseeing soil health research and leading outreach initiatives to educate the public on the benefits of improving soil health.…

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Taylor Goelz
PRESENTER.
Taylor Goelz graduated from the University of San Diego with a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies in 2014. She graduated with a dual degree, a master’s degree in Marine Science and a master’s of Public Policy, through William & Mary and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS). At VIMS, Goelz's thesis work analyzed stakeholders’ social networks and attitudes during OysterFutures, a participatory modeling process focused on creating consensus oyster management recommendations for the Choptank River. She also served as a policy intern in the NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office focusing on oyster restoration. Currently, Goelz is serving as a Knauss Marine Policy Fellow with NOAA Research where she is helping to prepare the U.S. for the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development.
Taylor Goelz
PRESENTER. Taylor Goelz graduated from the University of San Diego with a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies in 2014. She graduated with a dual degree, a master’s degree in Marine…

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Dr. Ram Mohan
PRESENTER.
Dr. Ram Mohan is a Senior Partner at Anchor QEA, LLC., and an Adjunct Professor of Coastal & Ocean Engineering at Texas A&M University. Dr. Mohan is a member of the National Academy's Marine Board, where he focuses on Coastal Resiliency, and currently serves on the U.S. Committee for the “United Nations (UN) Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development”. In collaboration with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), he is currently co-authoring national guidance documents on ocean and coastal restoration. Dr. Mohan is also the Director of Texas A&M's Annual Dredging Short Course, part of the Center for Dredging Studies, and thus involved in research projects related to Coastal Resiliency, Beneficial Use, and Environmental Remediation. He is currently serving as Chief Editor, Journal of Marine Environmental Engineering (2016-2021). From 2013-2016, he served as the Chairman of the World Association of Dredging Organizations. He was also one of the founding Directors of the Association of Coastal Engineers and served as a Director for the American Shore & Beach Preservation Association. A “Fellow” of the American Society of Civil Engineers, Ram focuses on eco-friendly and sustainable solutions to complex coastal problems.
Dr. Ram Mohan
PRESENTER. Dr. Ram Mohan is a Senior Partner at Anchor QEA, LLC., and an Adjunct Professor of Coastal & Ocean Engineering at Texas A&M University. Dr. Mohan is a member…

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Dr. Larry Mayer
PRESENTER.
Dr. Larry Mayer is a Professor and Director of The Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping at the University of New Hampshire. He is currently the Chair of the National Academies of Science’s Oceans Studies Board, the U.S. National Committee for the Ocean Decade, a U.S. Arctic Research Commissioner, on the State Dept.’s Extended Continental Shelf Task Force, and Vice Chair of the Board of the Ocean Exploration Trust. Dr. Mayer received an Honorary Doctorate from the Stockholm University, was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 2018 and was a foreign member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in 2019. In 2020 he became the first recipient of the Walter Munk Medal from The Oceanography Society. Dr. Mayer’s current research deals with sonar imaging and remote characterization of the seafloor as well as advanced applications of 3-D visualization to ocean mapping problems and applications of mapping to Law of the Sea issues, particularly in the Arctic.
Dr. Larry Mayer
PRESENTER. Dr. Larry Mayer is a Professor and Director of The Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping at the University of New Hampshire. He is currently the Chair of the…

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Travis Aten
PRESENTER.
Hailing from the east coast of Canada, Travis currently lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia where he gets to see the beautiful Atlantic ocean every day. Travis holds a Master’s degree from Dalhousie University where his research focused on the international management of migratory species in areas beyond national jurisdiction. Since then, Travis’ admiration for areas beyond national jurisdiction or the ‘high seas’ has only grown. Currently, Travis is the Program Associate for the High Seas Alliance where he is working with world governments and stakeholders at the United Nations towards the establishment of a new high seas treaty to protect biodiversity within the high seas. Travis is also the Flotilla Coordinator for the OneOcean Initiative, an unbranded communications collective of ocean and climate NGOs working towards enhancing human wellbeing through ocean protection and safeguarding its key services.
Travis Aten
PRESENTER. Hailing from the east coast of Canada, Travis currently lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia where he gets to see the beautiful Atlantic ocean every day. Travis holds a Master’s…

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Elly, Kenya
YOUTH HOST.
Elly Savatia participated in the Climate Action Project, a program designed to educate students about the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Elly founded nonprofit Innovate 4 SDGs to equip African students with the knowledge and mindset of the SDGs. In 2019, Elly became the youngest fellow to be selected by President Barack Obama’s Young African Leadership Initiative, the youngest representative at the First UN Habitat Assembly, and he was recognized as Ashoka Africa’s Lead Young Ambassador.
Elly, Kenya
YOUTH HOST. Elly Savatia participated in the Climate Action Project, a program designed to educate students about the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Elly founded nonprofit Innovate 4 SDGs…

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Olilai, Palau
YOUTH HOST.
Olilai Chilton is head of Heirs To Our Oceans Palau. She has built a community of young people to take part in projects that make her small island community more resourceful and eco-friendly including plastic pollution reduction. She works with H2OO members throughout Palau to help keep Palau pristine. Olilai presents to inspire youth around the world to engage deeply in preserving their community for future generations.
Olilai, Palau
YOUTH HOST. Olilai Chilton is head of Heirs To Our Oceans Palau. She has built a community of young people to take part in projects that make her small island…

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Eni, Maryland, US
YOUTH HOST.
Eni Owoeye, daughter of Nigerian immigrants, was born in Brooklyn, New York, but currently lives in Baltimore, Maryland, which is the lands of Susquehannock, Nentego (Nanticoke) and Piscataway tribes. At university Eni is a member of the African American and Latinx Association, and Power to the People centered on social activism. Eni is a student with great ambition to broaden the idea of an environmentalist. Her interest in environmentalism and cross cultural connections led her to realize the disparities in environmental education among many communities. Striving to break down stereotypes surrounding eco-consciousness, she reaches out to marginalized and under-represented communities in an effort to mobilize participation against environmental racism to achieve environmental equity. A highlight of Eni's journey is tutoring individuals within the criminal justice system to achieve higher education, especially around topics of environmental science.
Eni, Maryland, US
YOUTH HOST. Eni Owoeye, daughter of Nigerian immigrants, was born in Brooklyn, New York, but currently lives in Baltimore, Maryland, which is the lands of Susquehannock, Nentego (Nanticoke) and Piscataway…

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Raina, Germany
YOUTH SPEAKER.
Raina Ivanova is a 15-year old climate activist who grew up in Hamburg, Germany. Raina was one of sixteen teen and tween activists who brought a Petition against Argentina, Brazil, France, Germany, and Turkey through the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child for violating children's rights to life, health and culture. Children vs. Climate Crisis. Raina has been striking on Fridays throughout intense heatwaves hitting Central Europe this year.
Raina, Germany
YOUTH SPEAKER. Raina Ivanova is a 15-year old climate activist who grew up in Hamburg, Germany. Raina was one of sixteen teen and tween activists who brought a Petition against…

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Kristy, on Ohlone land
YOUTH SPEAKER.
Kristy Drutman is a Filipina environmentalist and digital strategist based on Ohlone land in the San Francisco Bay Area. She wants to educate the world one post at a time about environmental justice through her podcast and media series, Brown Girl Green. Kristy interviews environmental leaders and advocates about diversity and inclusion as well as creative solutions to the climate crisis. Kristy believes that culturally-nuanced storytelling is critical in building collective power and resilience within our communities, and aims to create content that empowers people to find their own voice in the fight for an environmentally just future. You can learn more about her @browngirl_green on social media and at www.browngirlgreen.org.
Kristy, on Ohlone land
YOUTH SPEAKER. Kristy Drutman is a Filipina environmentalist and digital strategist based on Ohlone land in the San Francisco Bay Area. She wants to educate the world one post at…

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Aleksandr, Belgium
YOUTH SPEAKER.
Aleksandr Stommels is a co-founder of Spacefluencers, an organizer for TEDxYouth@Nijmegen, and an EU Lobbyist who works to influence policy within the European Union. Aleksandr participated this year as a NASA solver and Hackathon co-organizer where he contributed to solving problems related to NASA’s mission. Aleksandr is President of Circle of Sustainable Europe (CoSE).
Aleksandr, Belgium
YOUTH SPEAKER. Aleksandr Stommels is a co-founder of Spacefluencers, an organizer for TEDxYouth@Nijmegen, and an EU Lobbyist who works to influence policy within the European Union. Aleksandr participated this year…

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Catarina, Brazil
YOUTH SPEAKER.
Catarina Lorenzo is a 13 year old Brazilian climate activist and is one of the Petitioners in the landmark Children vs. Climate Crisis action. Catarina is a member of Heirs to Our Oceans who advocates against the fossil fuel industry and the resulting oil spills that have devastated her community. Catarina has also recently joined Green Kingdom, an International Youth led Intersectional Environmental movement, where she works as the coordinator for the movement's Brazilian chapter.
Catarina, Brazil
YOUTH SPEAKER. Catarina Lorenzo is a 13 year old Brazilian climate activist and is one of the Petitioners in the landmark Children vs. Climate Crisis action. Catarina is a member of…

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Franceska, Guahan (Guam)
YOUTH SPEAKER.
Franceska De Oro is an Indigenous Chamoru and Micronesian youth environmental activist, native rights advocate and yoga teacher. She began her activism against militarization as a high school student when the Department of Defense released the draft environmental impact study for the relocation of 5,000 Marines from Okinawa to Guam in 2010. Franceska spent the last ten years learning from leaders in the local decolonization movement as well as in the Northern Mariana Islands. She volunteers with many environmental and political advocacy groups such as Independent Guåhan, Prutehi Litekyan, and Micronesia Climate Change Alliance. Franceska is the designer and co-founder of Maga’håga Rising, an indigenous Chamoru women empowerment brand that promotes wellness, creativity, and self-love through fashion, writing, and art. Eating in indigenous ways has been her main focus for her wellness journey along with connecting to the land, sea, and ancestors through movement and meditation. You can follow along on her personal adventures on Instagram @youngbiha, and see her work on www.magahaga.com
Franceska, Guahan (Guam)
YOUTH SPEAKER. Franceska De Oro is an Indigenous Chamoru and Micronesian youth environmental activist, native rights advocate and yoga teacher. She began her activism against militarization as a high school…

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Carlos, Philippines/Palau
YOUTH SPEAKER.
Carlos Manuel is an 18 year old seasoned Heir of Heirs To Our Oceans who has organized and led youth in environmental activism for the last 4 years. He and his family moved from the Philippines to Palau ten years ago. Carlos first learned about the climate crisis in ninth grade, and he began to understand that the changes he had noticed in Palau were part of a larger global phenomenon caused by the climate crisis, including increasing temperatures, rising sea levels, and more extreme storms. Carlos is one of the Petitioners in the landmark action, Children vs. Climate Crisis.
Carlos, Philippines/Palau
YOUTH SPEAKER. Carlos Manuel is an 18 year old seasoned Heir of Heirs To Our Oceans who has organized and led youth in environmental activism for the last 4 years.…

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Litokne, Marshall Islands
YOUTH SPEAKER.
Litokne Kabua, a young climate activist from the Marshall Islands, highlights the experience of small island communities living with the impacts of the climate crisis. Litokne is a Petitioner in Children vs. Climate Crisis. On Ebeye, Litokne is empowering other youth in his community to rise up as activists sounding the alarm on the climate crisis.
Litokne, Marshall Islands
YOUTH SPEAKER. Litokne Kabua, a young climate activist from the Marshall Islands, highlights the experience of small island communities living with the impacts of the climate crisis. Litokne is a…

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Ridhima, India
YOUTH SPEAKER.
Ridhima Pandey is a young activist from India who campaigns for action against climate change. At age nine, Ridhima filed a suit against the Indian Government on the basis that they had not taken the significant steps against climate change that they had agreed to in the Paris Agreement. This court case was presented in the National Green Tribunal (NGT). Ridhima is also one of the Petitioners in the landmark action Children vs. Climate Crisis.
Ridhima, India
YOUTH SPEAKER. Ridhima Pandey is a young activist from India who campaigns for action against climate change. At age nine, Ridhima filed a suit against the Indian Government on the…

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Selina, Marshall Islands
YOUTH SPEAKER.
Selina Leem, a 23 year old climate warrior from the Marshall Islands, is “a small island girl with big dreams”. She recently finished working as a Youth Representative at the Permanent Mission of the Republic of the Marshall Islands to the UN in New York. Born and raised in Majuro, the capital atoll of the Marshall Islands, Leem credits her grandfather for her deep awareness of the increasing fate of her island home through his stories about how the ice in the North Pole and South Pole were melting and would soon flood the Marshall Islands. Representing the Marshall Islands, Leem was the youngest delegate at the COP21 in Paris. During the closing remarks, then Marshall Islands Foreign Minister Tony deBrum gave her the opportunity to give the final statement on behalf of her country. Leem told the world that the Paris agreement “should be the turning point in our story; a turning point for all of us.”
Selina, Marshall Islands
YOUTH SPEAKER. Selina Leem, a 23 year old climate warrior from the Marshall Islands, is “a small island girl with big dreams”. She recently finished working as a Youth Representative…

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Dakota, on Ramaytush Ohlone land
YOUTH SPEAKER.
Dakota Peebler, now 15 years old, formed nonprofit Heirs To Our Oceans (H2OO) with her sister Charley in 2016. H2OO is committed to empowering, educating and connecting all youth in protection of oceans and waterways and in climate action. Dakota is dedicated to researching and protecting endangered sea otters as a keystone species. Having seen the threat to sea otters due to chemical fertilizers running off into Marine Protected Areas, Dakota feels strongly that MPAs must take into account land-sea pollution. Dakota and her fellow RACCE-initiative Heirs meet with lawmakers, students, and educators to raise awareness on all platforms of the harm that chemical fertilizer does to our planet’s waters and life. Dakota has spoken on high-level panels including at the Marine Conservation Institute’s GLORES event in April 2017, on an MPA panel in Washington DC in May 2017, at the Soil Not Oil Conference in September 2019, and at the Int’l Sea Otter Conference in both 2017 and 2019. To raise awareness through performance art Dakota performed red tide to audiences at Coal & Ice, a climate-change focused affiliate event of the Global Climate Action Summit in 2018. Dakota has participated in many media events – television, radio, podcasts and films – including TED.
Dakota, on Ramaytush Ohlone land
YOUTH SPEAKER. Dakota Peebler, now 15 years old, formed nonprofit Heirs To Our Oceans (H2OO) with her sister Charley in 2016. H2OO is committed to empowering, educating and connecting all…

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Charley, on Ramaytush Ohlone land
YOUTH PRESENTER.
Charley Peebler, now 16 years old, is a co-founder of Heirs To Our Oceans (H2OO). H2OO educates, empowers and connects youth in purpose ocean and water protection and climate action and is a global movement. Charley and her fellow Heirs learn about the problems they are inheriting through scientists and research mentors and they actively engage in solutions. Charley's focus areas include the climate crisis, coral and deep sea habitats, derelict fishing gear and unsustainable fishing practices, issues in recycling plastics and human rights issues related to all. Charley speaks regularly – locally, nationally and internationally – to lawmakers and governing bodies, to students, to educators via presentations, panels and media. Charley formed the Youth Advisory Council to the Ocean Climate Action Plan and sits on the Youth Advisory Council to the US National Committee to the UN Ocean Decade. She is currently a candidate for National Geographic Young Explorers.
Charley, on Ramaytush Ohlone land
YOUTH PRESENTER. Charley Peebler, now 16 years old, is a co-founder of Heirs To Our Oceans (H2OO). H2OO educates, empowers and connects youth in purpose ocean and water protection and…

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Domenica, Costa Rica
YOUTH SPEAKER.
Domenica "Dom" Jaramillo, a 21 years old Ecuadorian, is currently learning sustainable agriculture in Costa Rica where she is also a climate activist for Fridays for Future Costa Rica, YOUNGO, and Justice Champions. Dom was Coordinator of Mock COP26 in Latin America and the Caribbean. Dom is interested in working on the impact of agriculture on climate change in LATAM. She also enjoys scuba diving and being an advocate for the ocean.
Domenica, Costa Rica
YOUTH SPEAKER. Domenica “Dom” Jaramillo, a 21 years old Ecuadorian, is currently learning sustainable agriculture in Costa Rica where she is also a climate activist for Fridays for Future Costa…

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Hannah, Georgia, US
YOUTH SPEAKER.
Hannah Testa, Founder of Hannah4Change, has been an environmental activist most of her life. Her passion is protecting people, animals, and the planet through education, awareness, and policy work. On the topic of plastic pollution, Hannah has delivered presentations to over 30,000 children and adults across the world, including businesses and governments, on how to reduce their plastic footprint. Hannah also influenced Fulton County GA to pass a bill in 2019 to eliminate single-use plastics from government properties. In 2020, Hannah was part of the advocates that introduced the US federal bill, The Break Free from Plastic Pollution Act. She also wrote her first book called Taking on the Plastics Crisis released in October 2020 and is speaking about youth activism on a TEDx Women platform. Hannah lives in Georgia, US, on Muscogee and Cherokee lands.
Hannah, Georgia, US
YOUTH SPEAKER. Hannah Testa, Founder of Hannah4Change, has been an environmental activist most of her life. Her passion is protecting people, animals, and the planet through education, awareness, and policy…

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Aislinn, on Ramaytush Ohlone land
YOUTH PRESENTER.
Aislinn Clark is a 15-year-old member of Heirs To Our Oceans in northern California. She is deeply concerned about the impacts our species is having on our oceans and our planet recognizing that we must stop unsustainable practices. Aislinn has chosen to focus her activism and studies on promoting policies that will bring about widespread changes now, not later. She is currently spearheading, along with other global youth leaders, H2OO’s Regenerative Agriculture for Climate, Communities and our Environment (RACCE) initiative. Growing up in the small farming community of Pescadero, she has seen first-hand the impacts of degenerative agriculture on our planet and people, especially those who face marginalized circumstances. Aislinn is dedicated to advancing H2OO’s core principals of making sure that all voices are included in conversations about the future. She is committed to sharing with youth worldwide what she has learned and inspiring young people to be part of the solution.
Aislinn, on Ramaytush Ohlone land
YOUTH PRESENTER. Aislinn Clark is a 15-year-old member of Heirs To Our Oceans in northern California. She is deeply concerned about the impacts our species is having on our oceans…

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Camille, on Ramaytush Ohlone land
YOUTH PRESENTER.
Camille Kay is a 16 year-old member of Heirs To Our Oceans in the San Francisco Bay Area living on Ramaytush Ohlone land. She is concerned about the detrimental impacts humans have had on our ecosystems such as kelp forests and coral reefs. Being aware of the problems of plastic pollution in our waterways, Camille was a graphic designer for a paper supporting the ban of single-use plastics in her community. Camille is a finalist for the NSPA Local Climate Change Reporting award. She is a dedicated member of H2OO's Regenerative Agriculture for Climate, Communities, and our Environment (RACCE) initiative where she and other Heirs work to educate the public about the harms of conventional agricultural practices and take steps toward creating new legislation to further regenerative agriculture in California. She is committed to maintaining H2OO’s goal of ensuring that all youths’ voices are not only heard but listened to.
Camille, on Ramaytush Ohlone land
YOUTH PRESENTER. Camille Kay is a 16 year-old member of Heirs To Our Oceans in the San Francisco Bay Area living on Ramaytush Ohlone land. She is concerned about the…

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Latifah Nansubuga
YOUTH PRESENTER.
Latifah is an advocate for the rights of girls and for climate action in Uganda, as she is a girl leader who is passionate about empowering fellow girls in marginalized communities. Latifah is annually featured in the National Girls’ Summit, and she is a youth leader of Rhythm of Life, a member of the Girls Advocacy Alliance (GAA) in Uganda, and a youth leader of Heirs To Our Oceans. Latifah has been part of a number of advocacy trainings under Plan International, World Vision, UNICEF and Let Girls Lead. Latifah considers herself a hardworking and committed person with a passion for helping people in her community. She believes that change starts with oneself to save the next and future generations.
Latifah Nansubuga
YOUTH PRESENTER. Latifah is an advocate for the rights of girls and for climate action in Uganda, as she is a girl leader who is passionate about empowering fellow girls…

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Achare, Cameroon
YOUTH SPEAKER.
Achare Elvis Ayamba of Cameroon is a passionate early career ocean conservationist who envisions a world where everyone has the right mindset to live in harmony with our blue planet. Achare, who holds a masters degree in fisheries and aquatic ecosystems management, is the Founding Director at Environment and Food Foundation (E2F) with a mission to promote sustainable management of aquatic and marine ecosystems of mangroves, wetlands, lakes, rivers, streams and oceans. Programs include collection and valorization of marine plastics waste in Douala, participatory conservation of threatened African manatees and Lake Ossa, and participatory management and restoration of mangroves forests ecosystems using Community- Based Ecological Mangrove Restoration (CBEMR).
Achare, Cameroon
YOUTH SPEAKER. Achare Elvis Ayamba of Cameroon is a passionate early career ocean conservationist who envisions a world where everyone has the right mindset to live in harmony with our…

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Nee-Yu, on Klamath and Molalla land
YOUTH SPEAKER.
Nee-Yu Marcus, a Tolowa, Yurok, and Maidu indigenous youth, lives on Klamath and Molalla land at the McKenzie River watershed (Oregon, US). Nee-Yu has been involved in regenerative land stewardship since she was a child recognizing the importance of living and growing food with the land, not against it. Nee-Yu also wants to bring attention to, and organize her community around, the connection between traditional resource management and combatting the current climate crisis.
Nee-Yu, on Klamath and Molalla land
YOUTH SPEAKER. Nee-Yu Marcus, a Tolowa, Yurok, and Maidu indigenous youth, lives on Klamath and Molalla land at the McKenzie River watershed (Oregon, US). Nee-Yu has been involved in regenerative…

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Oghenekevwe Christopher Oghenechovwen
YOUTH SPEAKER.
Oghenekevwe, Nigerian, has 4 years of experience in youth engagement and the ocean-climate science and policy interface. Currently, he is a graduate student at the University of Victoria, Canada, and does research on coupled climate dynamics with the Singh Group (part of the UVic Climate Lab). He is also co-leading a team of early-career professionals to develop EARWAC.com, the first coastal multi-hazard dashboard in West Africa funded by Future Earth and European Space Agency ahead of COP26 in Glasgow. Kevwe is driven by curiosity and his commitment to reduce knowledge-gaps of the physical environment and contribute his ideas, voice, and talents to help solve emergent climate risks and threats to sustainable development. Kevwe serves on the Development Team of the Ocean Knowledge-Action Network, Youth Policy Advisory Council of Sustainable Ocean Alliance, and represents the Nigerian Youth SDGs Network as Global Focal Point on Ocean/SDG14 at the UN MGCY. Previously, he was on the Virtual Engagement and Sustainable Meetings Advisory Group of the American Geophysical Union and the World Oceans Day Youth Advisory Council. Kevwe loves board games, outdoor group trips, and memes he finds on his Twitter timeline.
Oghenekevwe Christopher Oghenechovwen
YOUTH SPEAKER. Oghenekevwe, Nigerian, has 4 years of experience in youth engagement and the ocean-climate science and policy interface. Currently, he is a graduate student at the University of Victoria,…

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UN OCEAN DECADE/ YOUTH SUMMIT 2020

LET’S KICK THIS OCEAN DECADE OFF WITH ACTION!

YS2020UNOD IS A WRAP! PLEASE STAY TUNED FOR YS2021UNOD.

FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM, TWITTER, TIKTOK AND LINKEDIN TO STAY UPDATED!

ALREADY REGISTERED? KEEP READING! ESSENTIAL INFORMATION FOLLOWS

FIRST THINGS FIRST! GET ORGANIZED NOW WITH YOUR SCHEDULE AND ZOOM LINKS

Note, the Summit is available only to registrants who received notice that they are effectively registered and assigned a group.

SCHEDULE

Day 1: TAKING IT ALL IN

Day 2: A DAY OF INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION

SPEAKERS, PRESENTERS & YOUTH MODERATORS

M. Kalani Souza

KEYNOTE SPEAKER.

M. Kalani Souza

Kathy Jetñil-Kijiner

KEYNOTE SPEAKER.

Kathy Jetñil-Kijiner

Ngedikes Olai Uludong

KEYNOTE SPEAKER.

Ngedikes Olai Uludong

Dr. Vladimir Ryabinin

KEYNOTE SPEAKER.

Dr. Vladimir Ryabinin

Tiza Mafira

KEYNOTE SPEAKER.

Tiza Mafira

Noëlla Coursaris Musunka

KEYNOTE SPEAKER.

Noëlla Coursaris Musunka

Dr. Melania Guerra

KEYNOTE SPEAKER.

Dr. Melania Guerra

Dr. Atsushi Watanabe

PRESENTER.

Dr. Atsushi Watanabe

Dr. Gretta Pecl

PRESENTER.

Dr. Gretta Pecl

Stephen Ritz

PRESENTER.

Stephen Ritz

Kanyon Sayers-Roods

PRESENTER.

Kanyon Sayers-Roods

Dr. Jason Scorse

PRESENTER.

Dr. Jason Scorse

Dr. Richard Spinrad

PRESENTER.

Dr. Richard Spinrad

Alfredo Giron

PRESENTER.

Alfredo Giron

Dr. Yichao Rui

PRESENTER.

Dr. Yichao Rui

Taylor Goelz

PRESENTER.

Taylor Goelz

Dr. Ram Mohan

PRESENTER.

Dr. Ram Mohan

Dr. Larry Mayer

PRESENTER.

Dr. Larry Mayer

Travis Aten

PRESENTER.

Travis Aten

Elly, Kenya

YOUTH HOST.

Elly, Kenya

Olilai, Palau

YOUTH HOST.

Olilai, Palau

Eni, Maryland, US

YOUTH HOST.

Eni, Maryland, US

Raina, Germany

YOUTH SPEAKER.

Raina, Germany