World Oceans Day is celebrated worldwide on the 8th of June, and in Colombo,Sri Lanka,”The Pearl Protectors”, which is a youth led marine conservation organisation, with members hailing from all walks of life, exhibited beautiful paintings and art throughout the weekend from 10th to 11th June 2023, at the One Galle Face Mall; Ocean Avenue Atrium Level – 1. Through education and eye catching art,The Pearl Protectors hope to draw attention and raise awareness on the topic of conserving the ocean in Sri Lanka
For the past 3 years, The Pearl Protectors have been celebrating the beauty and wonder of the ocean through the power of art while raising awareness of the critical importance of our oceans, the role they play in maintaining a healthy planet, and the numerous threats faced by these delicate ecosystems and their inhabitants. Throughout May, participants of all ages submitted artwork for the competition themed “World Ocean Day Through Art,” divided into two categories: the Open Category and the School Category. After careful consideration by esteemed Marine Scientists and Artists, 30 exceptional illustrations were selected for display at the One Galle Face Mall.
In addition to the art exhibition, the highlight was the realistic Mega Turtle Model depicting the impact of ghost nets and plastic pollution, and a replica of a sea turtle nest. There was also an exhibit highlighting trans boundary litter and nurdle contamination from the recent X-Press Pearl shipping disaster. The Pearl Protectors also demonstrated innovative ways to upcycle and re-use marine plastics, such as recycling ghost fishing nets and using it to create unique beachwear, with some intricate pieces on display by the designer, an undergraduate at the University of Morutuwa, Thumalka Rupasinghe. This celebration of the ocean world at One Galle Face mall offered a unique opportunity for the general public to deepen their understanding of marine life and the challenges it faces.
Attendees engaged with ocean and environmental enthusiasts, advocates, and experts. Speaking to the media, Maleesha Gunawardana, the Advocacy Lead at The Pearl Protectors,said that much more needs to be done regarding public awareness of ocean conservation. She explained how amongst other things, nylon fishing nets had caused the death of sea turtles and marine creatures in the coral reefs at many locations around the island. Maleesha also stated that there is a dearth of funding, and her team are mostly responsible for financing the projects that they carry out, as it was difficult to procure sponsorship. She hopes that by creating more awareness of ocean conservation, the public and other sectors would start to seriously take action to ensure safer waters for marine life and mankind.
If you would like to join future events held on conserving nature and the sea, and for those who are interested in sea turtle conservation, a ticketed event,“Turtle Talk”, organised by The Pearl Protectors will be held at “Pink Salt” in Dehiwala on 17th Saturday June 2023 from 3pm to 5pm. Maleesha invites everyone to come and learn more on what can be done to preserve the sea turtle population in Sri Lanka.
Article by Nelum Buddhadasa