A World Oceans Day on the French Riviera

As of 2009, "World Oceans Day" or "Journée Mondiale de l'Ocean" has been officially declared by the United Nations: it will be on June 8th each year.

According to its organizers, the Ocean Project, World Ocean Day is a chance to celebrate our personal connection to the sea.

That, my friends, is a life-long process. But if a single day can raise awareness about the lives that hide in our seas and what threatens them, we're all for it.

A single day is just a beginning.

 What's happening on the French Riviera on World Oceans Day?

Most of the activities planned around la Journée Mondiale des Océans won't take place on June 8 this year. Why? Well, it falls on a Monday... Best to organize it around the weekend, when more folks are free to participate.

• At Monaco's wonderful Oceanographic Museum, the whole day is dedicated to the Mediterranean and Climate. Program here (in French): http://www.oceano.mc/nouveau/progJMO09.pdf
• At Marineland of Antibes (and elsewhere in France) Tetra organizes fun workshops for 8-12 year-olds to teach them about aquatic fauna: June 10 and 13, 2009.  More on Marineland here.
• In Saint-Raphael, on June 7, 2009 at the Port of Santa Lucia, kids & parents can board a sailboat to learn about the fauna and flora of the Mediterranean: June 7, 2009. This outing is organized by the "Bienvenue à Santa Lucia" organization, to help families affected by muscular dystrophy - helping hands welcomed at 9:30AM and outing at 10AM.
• In Hyères, the diving center of la Tour Fondue (on the Giens Peninsula) organizes a clean-up dive at the tip of the Giens Peninsula: June 7, 2009 from 9AM. Phone: 04 94 57 90 80
• Further west, at the Islands des Embiez, the Institut océanographique Paul RICARD will present some of its scientific initiatives to the public from June 8 to 13. On June 13 &14 sailboats WWF Columbus (from WWF France) and Garlaban (from the Institut océanographique Paul RICARD) will represent the Armada Bleue: June 8 to 13, 2009.

The Ocean Project group tells us to Wear Blue and to Tell Two folks about the event.

Possibly more important than wearing blue:
If you're by the beach, pick up a piece of trash (or one more than usual). Forgo plastic or paper throw-away coffee cups. Be done with disposable plastic bags for shopping, and adopt one of these wide wicker baskets so popular in French open markets. 

Just a blue thought for Mare Nostrum on her special day. And why not, think blue thoughts all year long.