The Event:

SEAmposium is a Ecofolks initiative on Ocean Conservation. The event is organised along with The Mumbai Zoo & ICAR-CIFE & serves as a important platform for bringing together the stakeholders, shaping the narrative & driving action on this last big resource, The Ocean.

SEAmposium strives to promote awareness about the importance of marine conservation and sustainable practices. It aims to educate students, faculty members and the community on marine ecosystems and their preservation. It facilitate meaningful discussions among experts, researchers and stakeholders in the field of marine science & provide a platform for networking and collaboration among individuals and organizations interested in ocean conservation efforts.

Since the inception in 2022, SEAmposium has brought together experts & thought leaders from various fields, including scientists, policymakers, academicians, and civil society, to engage in fruitful discussions on a range of topics such as marine biodiversity, stranding & rescue of Marine animals, beach cleanups and other mitigation measures.

In our 2nd edition we are collaborating with ICAR- Central Institute of Fisheries Education ( CIFE), a leading Fisheries University & a center of excellence since 1961 & Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Botanical Udyan & Zoo, which is one of the oldest zoos in the country established in 1862 & the only zoo in the country to successfully introduce the Penguins.

What is it that we are discussing in SEAmposium 2023?

In the 2nd edition we plan to explore the adventurous side of the ocean along with sustainability & also touch upon Lifestyle changes that we need to incorporate as a part of the ambitious policy of Mission LiFE.

The Story:

Mumbai is an ocean of potential for those who are willing to take the plunge. Mumbai wouldn’t have been what it is without the ocean near which it sits. Seven Islands and a natural harbor has shaped the destiny of this city. SEAmposium is a one-of-a-kind platform that brings together many stakeholders to celebrate the intrinsic connection that the Sea shares with Mumbai City. It is an annual port of call for all the ocean lovers and enthusiasts.

SEAmposium is the annual arribada of ocean lovers congregating to create bioluminescence of ideas. A rookery that will spawn imagination for exploration and not exploitation.This one-day festival- where the first half is dedicated to SEAmposium & the other half for the Ocean film festival if an assortment of talks, films, photography, debate involving stakeholders from Beach cleanups, Mangrove conservation, Turtle tourism, Shore walkers, Surfers, Underwater filmmakers, Beach resort owners, Ports, Fishing community et al. This festival is an attempt to re-connect the people of Mumbai to the ocean and our coast in a new way with a vision to drive home the message that – 

‘Ocean is not a huge resource to consume but the last resource to conserve’.

The Philosophy:

Shores are safe & secure, The Ocean is dark & deep. Shores are fun and frolic, Ocean commands fear and respect. But we have to leave the shores for the ocean. History is witness to the fact that the people who left the shore ruled the people who didn’t. From Sea fearing we have to become sea faring, and only then will the ocean let you know its deep secrets. It will reveal the mysteries of life, because it is the ocean from where the life emerged. In the past the mythical ocean had to be churned by opposing forces & from its deep recess emerged the nectar of eternal life….Amrut. But before that emerged Halahal-the poison that could have killed all life.

In the modern day, churning on the land has created Halahal which is being dumped in the ocean slowly turning it acidic. The Ocean needs to be saved from this poison and Neelkanth will not come as our savior. We have to rise to be the Shiva. Temperatures are rising, Snow caps are melting, species are getting extinct. Life on earth is getting threatened.

Climate change is real.

‘Life emerged from the ocean, let it not submerge in it’.

The Approach:

The five oceans that make the planet viz Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Southern & Arctic ( PAISA) is a unique interconnected system that propels the global climate, global trade, geopolitics & global economies. Over the years this system has come under a severe pressure due to the activities on the land. Habitat destruction, Oil spills, Untreated sewage, Overfishing & the greatest of all..Plastic.

SEAmposium stands on the fundamental principles of O – Ocean conservation, C -Community, E – Edutainment, A – Art & Adventure, N – Native people, all interconnected like the oceans creating synergies that can mitigate the human impact.
This initiative is just a drop in the Ocean, but every drop counts.
As rightly put by Rumi, ‘ You are not a drop in the Ocean, You are the entire Ocean in a drop’

Ocean is not a large resource to consume, but the last resource to conserve.

Speakers

Team S.A.L.T.

Sea Action Leadership Team (SALT), is a group of students studying Oceanography & Marine Science at various colleges across Mumbai. “SALT is a college collective for ocean conservation & education and will aim to engage, entertain, educate & empower the urban coastal communities in understanding the ocean better,” SALT aims to establish & groom a pan India network of young leaders in Ocean Stewardship for a sustainable & equitable future. SALT was instrumental in organizing SEAmposium & The first Ocean Film Festival in Mumbai on World Ocean’s Day.

Sponsors & Supporters

(Past & Present)

Ecofolks

Ecofolks is in the unique space of creating offbeat experiences in the area of nature conservation. Our events not only entertain but illuminates, provokes, disturbs & propels us into action.

Contact Us

Phone: +919821194396
Email: info@ecofolks.com

Mumbai, India.