Participants from Small Island Developing States and around the world will share how ocean literacy, international exchange and youth leadership are advancing climate and ocean action across regions. Young people are playing a critical role in advancing climate action and ocean stewardship, yet meaningful opportunities for long-term capacity building and international exchange remain limited. This interactive dialogue will bring together coastal community youth leaders alongside participants from other Small Island Developing States to explore how youth leadership, ocean literacy and international collaboration can accelerate implementation of the Belem Mission to 1.5 and the UN Ocean Decade. The event will highlight Youth for SDGs for the UN Ocean Decade, Peace Boat's flagship programme endorsed by IOC-UNESCO and implemented in partnership with AOSIS. For more than five years, the programme has brought together young leaders from Small Island Developing States and other climate-vulnerable regions, including participants from across the Pacific, to strengthen leadership, foster ocean literacy and build lasting international networks for climate and ocean action. The discussion will draw on experiences from programme alumni who are now leading initiatives in their own communities and contributing to climate policy, education and advocacy. The dialogue will also reflect on lessons from Peace Boat's earlier Ocean and Climate Youth Ambassador Programme (OCYAP), whose Pacific alumni now hold leadership roles across government, civil society and international organisations. Building on Peace Boat's recent contribution to the UN Ocean Decade through its published work on ocean literacy, the event will explore how sustained investment in youth leadership and ocean literacy can create lasting impacts for the Blue Pacific and beyond.

Venue

Moana Blue Pacific Pavilion

Speakers

Representative from IOC-UNESCO (TBC), Ocean and Climate Youth Leaders alumnus/alumna Representative from AOSIS (TBC), Our Shared Ocean scholarship participants, Youth for the SDGs alumnus/alumna, Blue Planet Alliance Global Ambassadors from SIDS, Facilitator: Emilie McGlone, Peace Boat US