I Love Okinawa Campaign
Okinawa O.C.E.A.N. will continue to support the Okinawa International Clean Beach Club and its annual I Love Okinawa Campaign by coordinating "after-cleanup-activities" and programs. For more information and to view the " I Love Okinawa Campaign" 2005 beach cleanup schedule,
please click on I Love Okinawa Campaign.
Okinawa Cleanup Yuimaru
International Coastal Cleanup (ICC)
Together with hundreds of thousands of participants from around the world, Okinawa O.C.E.A.N. will once again organize volunteers during the 13th annual Okinawa Cleanup Yuimaru in September. We will also coordinate our efforts with the Japan Coast Guard, PADI Japan, PADI USA, and the Okinawa Surfriders Association in order to collect valuable data on marine debris from around the Ryukyu Archipelago. For more information on how you can help, please click on Okinawa Cleanup Yuimaru.
3rd Annual O.C.E.A.N. Junior Ranger Program
"Island Exchange"
This summer, Okinawa O.C.E.A.N. will take about 15 elementary school students from Okinawa to either Zamami or Kudaka Island in order to participate in the O.C.E.A.N. Junior Ranger program. There will be a special emphasis on "island exchange" as students learn about the importance of marine conservation while gaining leadership skills through direct action and cooperation. For more information, email us at
edo@okinawaocean.org.
Junior O.C.E.A.N. Ranger Program
Focusing on "International Exchange"
In order to give children a better understanding on the importance of international cooperation for protecting the earth's precious marine environment, Okinawa O.C.E.A.N. will be conducting its first International Exchange program between local students and children from the foreign resident's community in October. The program will utilize points from the Junior O.C.E.A.N. Ranger program with additional activities that will foster international exchange and cooperation. For more information, click on What's New in the near future.
Earthwalker Okinawa Project
From June to August, Paul Coleman ("Earthwalker") walked around Okinawa and planted trees for peace. NPO Okinawa O.C.E.A.N. supported this important initiative of peace and environmental restoration. Earthwalker Okinawa Project ended successfully. For more information on Earthwalker, logon to
http://www.earthwalker.com.
Maeda Marine Protected Area
NPO Okinawa O.C.E.A.N. has been lobbying the government and working closely with various stakeholders to make Cape Maeda a Marine Protected Area (MPA). Creating an MPA at Cape Maeda would ensure that coral reefs and marine life are protected while maintaining fish stocks for local fishermen. Surfers, divers, and swimmers would also benefit from having a healthy marine environment to enjoy. For more information on this project, please see What's New.
Networking with Other Organizations
Because Okinawa O.C.E.A.N. is a network, we will continue to build bridges and friendships with other organizations that have similar goals as us. Some of the organizations and institutions that we will be working with in 2005 include Keio University, Earthwalker, and the Maeda Sea Turtle Project. We hope to incorporate the knowledge and expertise of these organizations into Okinawa O.C.E.A.N. programs; thus, expanding our range of activities. For more information on the above-mentioned groups, please click on Links.
World Island Connections Program
Although still in its planning stages, Okinawa O.C.E.A.N. has been creating the necessary network since 2002 in order to connect students from the island communities of Okinawa, Hawaiii, Galapagos, Cuba, the Canary Islands and Puerto Rico utilizing internet technology. The program will be learning-based and will focus on marine conservation, while enabling kids to interact with their counterparts from around the world.
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