The Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) has renewed its financial support for communication and engagement activities carried out within the framework of the United Nations Decade for Women. ocean sciences for sustainable development (2021-2030), coordinated by UNESCO Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC).

The strengthening of Japan’s engagement comes at a critical time when the Oceans Decade is gaining momentum and public visibility is gained after three years of preparation and a largely successful launch in the first half of 2021.

The announcement was made official on August 27, in an official communication from MEXT to UNESCO.

The new contribution (US $ 210,000), under the JFIT for the science program on global challenges in Asia and the Pacific region, will enable the deployment of a global public campaign (Generation Ocean) and the creation of a Global Stakeholder Forum (online platform and in-person events) to facilitate engagement, collaboration and exchange, and to create an enabling environment for officially endorsed Decade actions.

Through MEXT, the Government of Japan has provided continued support to the Ocean Decade, from the preparatory phase (2018-2020), enabling the UNESCO IOC Secretariat to lead a rich portfolio of communication activities, including the development of the Oceanic Decade website and a series of promotional videos on the challenges of the Decade representing the most urgent needs of the Decade.

MEXT’s contribution also enabled the participation of scientists and early-career experts from Small Island Developing States and Least Developed Countries in planning for the Ocean Decade. In 2019, MEXT supported the organization of the Decade Planning Workshop for the North Pacific and Western Marginal Seas, which brought together 160 participating experts from 18 countries who outlined cross-cutting priorities and next steps for the preparation of a regional action plan.

To implement the various lines of action provided for in the Plan for the Implementation of the Decade of the Oceans, UNESCO’s IOC relies on contributions from governments, the private sector and civil society institutions. These contributions go a long way in building the knowledge base for the ocean we want by 2030.