- Oct 26th – 28th, 15th World Ocean Forum, register until 19th Oct -

The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries announced that pre-registration for the 15th World Ocean Forum, which will take place from Oct 26th (Tuesday), is open until Oct 19th (Tuesday).

Having held its first event back in 2007, the annual World Ocean Forum now celebrates its 15th event this year. The forum is a venue where academics, business representatives, government officials, and world-renowned experts come together to discuss the current agenda and future strategy relating to the oceans. With 696 speakers from 46 nations and 44,000 audience members taking part in the forum over the last 14 years, the World Ocean Forum is becoming the ‘Davos Forum*’ of the maritime realm.

*  The World Economic Forum annual meeting held at Davos, Switzerland, hosted by a private foundation, with a large number of influential participants from around the world.

This year’s forum will be held from the 26th to the 28th of October at the Busan Lotte Hotel, jointly hosted by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, Busan Metropolitan City, and Busan Daily Newspaper, and organized by the Korea Association of Marine Industry.

This year’s forum will be held under the master theme of 'The Future of Everything, Ocean Transformation’, consisting of keynote sessions, 12 sub-theme sessions, and 2 special programs. More than 80 speakers and panel members from 17 countries will take part in the event to discuss and share their views on the many changes and future strategies related to the marine sector, including the marine industry, environment, and fisheries.

More specifically, Mauro F. Guillen, world renowned author of the best-seller ‘2030: How Today’s Biggest Trends Will Collide and Reshape the Future of Everything’ and the Director of Cambridge Judge Business School, will be visiting Busan in person to make his keynote speech. Following the keynote speech, Woochong Um, the Managing Director of the Asian Development Bank, and Einar Jensen, the Danish Ambassador to Korea, will also participate in the panel discussions.

In addition, there will be discussions covering various topics, including ▲ how to deliver on the 2030 sustainable development goals (SDGs) and ESG innovation in the marine sector, ▲ smart ships and green hydrogen in the carbon-neutral era slated to begin in 2050, ▲ the possibility of Korean cruises, and ▲ environmental regulations and digital ports. Also, in celebration of the 25th anniversary of the integrated marine and fisheries administration, the forum will share past achievements and future agenda of the integrated administration of Korea as well as learn from the insights of other nations, including Indonesia, that have government organizations that manage marine policies.

For the second year in a row, this year’s forum will take place both online and offline, with the forum opening ceremony and all sessions streamed live via the World Ocean Forum YouTube channel and the official Forum website. The forum discussions are open to anyone. Pre-registrations need to be completed at the official forum website by Oct 19th (Tuesday) for those who intend to take part in the event.

The Minister of Oceans and Fisheries MOON, Seong-Hyeok commented that “now is the time, amidst the great changes triggered by COVID19, for us to focus on the great opportunities and potential held within the oceans”. He added that “this year’s World Ocean Forum will offer us the opportunity to discover solutions that can bring out the greatest potential hidden beneath the oceans.