Ocean Celebration held in Qeshm Island

Qeshm Island – In order to promote the Ocean Conference and commemorate International Day for Biological Diversity, UNIC Tehran in cooperation with Hormod Sustainable Development Institute (HSDI), Department of Environment and its Qeshm Free Area branch (DoE) at Qeshm Island organized a “Ocean Celebration” ceremony at Shibderaz village in Qeshm, the Persian Gulf on 24 May 2017, AVA Diplomatic reports.

More than 100 people from local community attended the event and their representatives elaborated on their efforts aimed at protection of marine environment under UNDP’s Global Environment Facilities (GEF) and Small Grants Programme (SGP) during the past 15 years.

Speaking to local residents of Shibderaz village and local officials, UNIC Director Dr. Maria Dotsenko said the oceans cover about two-thirds of the surface of the Earth and are the very foundations of life and they generate most of the oxygen we breathe, absorb a large share of carbon dioxide emissions, provide food and nutrients, regulate climate, and are important economically for countries that rely on tourism, fishing and other marine resources for income, and serve as the backbone of international trade.

She added that due to human pressures, including overexploitation, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, destructive fishing, as well as unsustainable aquaculture practices, marine pollution, habitat destruction, alien species, climate change and ocean acidification are taking a significant toll on the world’s oceans and seas.

“You organized your communities and together protect turtles, dolphins and unique nature of your beautiful island. You not only protect them, but also help others to understand importance of respect to our planet’s biodiversity,” UNIC Director told the local people in Qeshm Island.

She also highlighted the crucial role, played by local women on protection of biodiversity and turtles in this attractive island.

Also speaking at the ceremony, Deputy Head of DoE in Charge of Marine Environment Dr. Minoo Farshchi elaborated on the important role of local communities in protecting marine environment and thanked local people in Qeshm for their efforts in protecting biodiversity in the Island.

Participants in the Ocean Ceremony collecting information materials on oceans and seas

Children in Qeshm say “we like turtles”

Other speakers of the ceremony were representative of local women NGOs Ms. Jima Fatahi who talked about handicrafts friendly to seas and oceans. The representative of Boat Owners’ Union from Shibderaz Village Mr. Is’haq Deyrestani briefed the participants on Sustainable Dolphin Sightseeing’s by Boats. The founder of first geopark in the Middle East, former DoE expert and first environmentalist who protected turtles in Qeshm Island Mr. Bijan Farhang Darehshori talked about how he together with the local people, saved the Qeshm Island’s turtles from extinction and preserved the mangrove forest.

UN posters in Persian on the protection of environment as well as on promotion of Ocean Conference and information booklets in Persian on importance of protection of marine environment as well as other promotional items were distributed among the participants and displayed during the ceremony. The ceremony ended with a sightseeing tour to the birth place of turtles in the Qeshm Islan