The ocean is vast, facing challenges such as pollution, overfishing, and habitat destruction. The ocean holds the future of our collective sustainability, and we don’t have time for “out of sight out of mind”. 
 

For youth to motivate and accelerate widespread momentum for the ocean, it is critical that youth help lead the way in bridging the gap between new perspectives, ideas, and actions to save and harness the untapped potential of our oceans.
 

The Future of Sustainability at UN World Oceans Day 2024, a youth-organised conference event, will immerse participants in a journey of reflection and discovery, offering a unique perspective through the youth lens as they explore the depths beneath the surface. Together, we must embrace the beauty and power of our oceans, and explore and engineer new depths of understanding, compassion, collaboration and commitment for the ocean.
 

The event will showcase environmental and social innovation-driven initiatives, projects and communities co-founded and co-designed by and for youth for the purpose of advancing marine conservation. 
 

The organizer gives thanks to the Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea of the Office of Legal Affairs, Oceanic Global and the Earth Institute of Columbia University for their dedication in celebrating UN World Oceans Day.