Mombasa Ocean Festival. Photo Credit: @mapicha_makes_memories.
On a rainy Tuesday morning in Mombasa, despite the heavy downpour, more than 250 pupils from nine schools attended the opening ceremony – Ocean Movie Day at Nyali Cinemax. This event marked the beginning of the Mombasa Ocean Festival, a weeklong celebration aimed at raising awareness about the importance of the ocean.
The pupils were able to hear current experts and high level leaders, watch movies, participate in fun quizzes, all of this inspiring them to follow their footsteps in endeavoring to protect the oceans.
The event brought together local and international leaders, each with a powerful message, the future of our oceans depends on the next generation.
Henrietta Gaiga, the European Union Ambassador to Kenya, explained that although the ocean covers most of our planet, we know almost nothing about what lies beneath the waves, 91% of underwater species are still undiscovered. But what we do know is troubling, the ocean is greatly damaged.
“Nowadays, when you eat a fish, you’re eating plastic. You’re eating small plastic balls in every fish. This is the state that we brought the ocean in,” she said.
She described floating islands of plastic waste and the dangers they pose to marine life and humans alike.
But why focus on kids? Gaiga believes young people are the key to change. She shared the story of a floating garbage can invented by young people that sucks up plastic from the ocean, a simple but powerful idea.
“That’s why we need you, your mind, your brain to develop new ideas to protect the ocean,” she said.
For Gaiga, kids are not just future leaders, they are inventors, problem solvers, and the best messengers to carry the lessons of today into tomorrow.
“You are the ones whose task it is to protect our environment including the sea. We all together have a lot of power. So we can make the difference.”
Lucas Malcor, the Executive Director Alliance Française de Mombasa, echoed this sentiment. He explained that the Ocean Festival was designed with children in mind from the very beginning.
“We wanted to put the community in the heart of the festival. So, that’s why first since the beginning of the festival our main target was the schools,” he said.
Malcor, described how the festival brings together scientists, decision-makers, and children to work towards a common goal of protecting the ocean. “The festival is not just about watching movies; it’s about connecting young people to the science and stories of the sea, and giving them a sense of ownership over their environment,” he said.
For Malcor, involving kids is about giving them the knowledge and inspiration to become the guardians of the ocean, ensuring that today’s lessons become tomorrow’s actions.
“Because they are the future. They will be the future ocean scientists, they’ll be the leaders of tomorrow and they need to understand the importance of the ocean,” he concluded.
On his side, Tsofa Mweni who heads the Wildlife Clubs of Kenya in the Coast Region, sees children as powerful agents of change. He said involving kids means equipping them with both knowledge and practical skills, so they can be active participants in protecting the marine ecosystem.
He explained that the main challenge facing the ocean is pollution, especially from plastics. “A lot of trash, a lot of waste from the townships are heading into the ocean, destroying the ecosystem where our wildlife thrives.”
But Mweni believes that children can help break this cycle. “These students play a very, very important role. The students share information to others. They even share information to their parents directly and indirectly. So there is an impact in what they are saying.”
He described how children are quick to point out when adults are not doing the right thing, and how this can lead to real change in attitudes and behaviors at home.
Mweni emphasized that education must go beyond words. He said Wildlife Clubs of Kenya organizes beach and township cleanups, giving students hands on experience in conservation.
“They need to have the skills. They also need to be aware and they also need to participate in such events, such forums,” he concluded.
Kibibi Khamisi, the Mombasa County Executive for Blue Economy, Agriculture, Livestock, and Cooperatives, spoke with pride about the festival and its focus on youth. She thanked the partners and stakeholders, especially the students and teachers, for making the event possible.
Khamisi stressed that the ocean is essential for life in Mombasa where 65% of the population depends on it for their daily livelihoods, directly or indirectly.
“Marine conservation should be our conversation,” she said.
She described the county’s efforts to preserve mangroves, coral reefs, and seagrass, but emphasized that these efforts will only succeed if the next generation is involved.
For her, involving children is about ensuring continuity and sustainability. “Today’s students will be tomorrow’s leaders, scientists, and community members. By engaging them now, the county is investing in a future where the ocean is protected not just by laws and policies, but by the passion and commitment of its people,” she said.
Despite the rain, the energy at Nyali Cinemax was electric. The children laughed, shouted answers, and soaked up the stories and lessons from the speakers. They also got to watch exciting ocean exhibitions and films that showed stunning sea creatures and real-life challenges facing the ocean.
The annual Mombasa Ocean Festival, is organized by the French Embassy in Kenya and Ad Mombasa as the main coordinators, with various partners, including the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (KMFRI), the EU Delegation in Kenya, CMA-CGM, the Embassy of the Republic of Costa Rica, the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, Wildlife Clubs of Kenya among others.
This year’s Mombasa Ocean festival lineup featured a range of engaging events:-
- Day One: Ocean Movie Day at Nyali Cinemax, dedicated to school visits.
- Day Two: Innovation Day, focusing on discussions about the future of the Blue Economy.
- Day Three: Café Science at Alliance Française de Mombasa, in collaboration with KMFRI, exploring marine science topics.
- Day Four: Mombasa Climate Talks at Swahili Pot Amphitheatre, highlighting local and global climate issues.
- Final Day: Ocean Fiesta at Little Theatre Club, offering family-friendly activities centered around ocean conservation.
The festival takes place ten years after the historic Paris Agreement to limit global warming and just one month before the United Nations Ocean Conference (#UNOC) in Nice, scheduled for June 9–13, co-hosted by France and Costa Rica.
