Ocean Preservation: Large Crowd Celebrates 10th Annual World Ocean’s Day at StFX

People gathered around tables during World Oceans Day

A large crowd of over 1,200 people turned out to learn more about protecting our oceans and to enjoy the planned activities as the StFX Biology Department and X-Oceans Outreach Program hosted the 10th Annual World Ocean’s Day event at J. Bruce Brown on the StFX campus on June 10, 2023.  

The event was designed to help raise awareness about the importance of ocean preservation and promote sustainable practices in an informative, fun, and engaging way.

Along with information booths, show and tell presentations, games, prizes, and sustainability education practices, organizers featured a series of activities and educational sessions that encouraged attendees to learn about marine conservation while also showcasing how we can take action to protect our oceans. 

Participants had the opportunity to attend informative sessions led by experts from the Eastern Region Solid Waste Management, Port Hawkesbury Nautical Institute NSCC, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), the Centre for Ocean Ventures and Entrepreneurship (COVE), the Confederacy of Mainland Mi’kmaq (CMM) and StFX Departments of Biology and Earth Sciences. 

With the help of the guest presenters, organizers engaged the local community through informative hands-on learning activities on current environmental challenges while exploring interactive exhibits showcasing marine life and ecosystems. 

“The theme of supporting local businesses within the Antigonish community continued this year. We were incredibly grateful to receive generous contributions of items amounting to $2,000 in prizes from the local Antigonish businesses showcasing their sustainable efforts,” says Tavneet Kaur and Dylan Noonan, members of the X-Oceans Outreach social media team. “We were also fortunate to have ongoing support from organizations, such as UNESCO IOC, CJFX 98.9 FM, 101.5 The Hawk, and the Province of Nova Scotia. We were pleased to work in partnership with the Department of Communities, Culture and Heritage to develop and promote this event.”