FAQs

Problem-solver, sustainability champion, students, young professional below 35 years old who have an interest in sustainability and contributing in solving our planet’s greatest challenges: ocean acidification, marine pollution, habitat destruction and overfishing to name a few.

Our Ocean Youth Leadership Summit provides a platform for learning, sharing, acting and will empower young leaders to take ocean action.

It is not mandatory to already be an ocean advocate and educated on ocean challenges. We will provide a series of online bootcamps (webinars) in the lead up to the summit to build foundation for the bootcamp.

Our Ocean 2019 will be hosted in a hotel “the Hub” located in Biskop Gunnerusgt, Oslo, Norway and will be held on October 23-24, 2019.

The summit is a 2-day event, and being held in parallel to Our Ocean Conference.

The intended theme for the Our Ocean Youth Leadership Summit is “Co-creating the Sustainable Blue Economy”. Following Norway’s global leadership in integrated ocean management, the summit programming will intend to inspire, inform, and empower youth participants to build holistic solutions that better balance the needs of society, industry and the ocean environment. In preparation for themed breakout sessions, Sustainable Ocean Alliance (SOA) and UiT the Arctic University of Norway will coordinate online bootcamps to frame the discussion and build foundational competency in the topics at hand, including eco-tourism, fishery management, the circular economy, amongst others.

Across the board,  program content will encourage youth to take a scientific approach to marine challenges in alignment with the UN Ocean Decade for Science. Specifically, panels will focus on the importance of leveraging data borne from science and technology to create informed ocean decisions and policy solutions that maximize output while minimizing harm.  Overall, participants will leave the summit with an enriched understanding of the systemic challenges of ocean health and how they can bridge the needs of multiple stakeholders across government, the private sector and academia to spur ocean action and be agents of positive change.

Program agenda will soon be available.

Yes. The summit is open to international participants. Last year 50 countries were represented at the summit. Watch highlights video.

This year, we will select 100 ocean leaders as room capacity is limited.

Please submit your application online here and before July 5, 2019, 11:59pm PST.

Participants will fill in an online application form and answer the questions: what is your engagement in sustainability and what does sustainability mean to you? (1-9 criterion score).

If applicable, please describe how your interest and engagement in sustainability pertains to ocean health,  (gauged solely on criteria point #10) and be selected according to specific criteria:

  1. Background – the extent to which an applicant’s area of focus professionally or academically is relevant to the conference themes.
  2. Impact – the extent to which the applicant idea solves a real problem in the ocean sector and would provide overall benefits to society.
  3. Feasibility – how realistic is the proposed commitment/idea/solution.  
  4. Scalability – how can the idea be scaled to new markets and/ or new industries.
  5. Enthusiasm – how much passion and enthusiasm is shown in the application.
  6. Vision – the extent to which the commitment aligns with the goals and values of Sustainable Ocean Alliance (SOA).
  7. Originality – how forward-thinking is the proposed commitment/idea/solution.
  8. English proficiency – applicant capacity to articulate an idea in English
  9. Leadership – applicant demonstrate strong communication skills and potential for  for leadership.
  10. Ocean Impact –  the level of interest and engagement in sustainability as it pertains to ocean health.

Each applicant will be selected according to the 10 criteria and scored from 1 to 5 (1=lowest score, 5=highest score).

Selected participants will be announced on August 1, 2019.

In preparation for themed breakout sessions, Sustainable Ocean Alliance (SOA) and UiT the Arctic University of Norway will coordinate online bootcamps to frame the discussion and build foundational competency in the topics at hand, including eco-tourism, fishery management, the circular economy, amongst others.

Attendance is mandatory and details will be provided at a later stage

Sustainable Ocean Alliance (SOA) is currently fundraising and aiming at covering   for each participant 3-nights accommodation in a shared twin rooms from October 22 to October 25, 2019.  We are also looking at offering a few single rooms available on request and are prioritizing participants with special needs.

Sustainable Ocean Alliance (SOA) is currently fundraising for this purpose. More details will soon be available.

If you require a visa to travel to Norway, we will be able to provide a visa letter. However we will not cover costs.

If you are not a national Norwegian citizen, you will need a passport. Sustainable Ocean Alliance (SOA) is not responsible for providing a passport or travel documents to selected participants. Please liaise with your embassy or consulate if any questions and ensure your passport is valid at least 6 months before expiry date.

We offer coffee breaks with drinks and light snacks and lunches during the length of the conference. A buffet lunch will be served on October 23 and 24, 2019.

Non-alcoholic drinks and finger foods will be served during the cocktail reception on October 22, 2019 (location TBC).

Please bring a notepad, a pen, (if needed) your laptop, business cards (if you have), warm clothes, passion and enthusiasm!

Please also note:

  • we will not provide water bottles. Bring your tumblr!
  • the hotel will not provide any toiletries. Please bring your own soaps, shampoo, toothbrush, toothpaste and any accessories you may need.

Dress code for the length of the conference is business attire. For the welcoming cocktail reception, please wear a cocktail attire.

You must attend the youth leadership summit on October 23 and 24, 2019. From lunchtime on October 24 you will have the opportunity to mingle with Our Ocean Conference participants and will be able to engage in other side meetings. Our Ocean Conference is organizing side events along with the main conference. Details will be provided at a later stage and available on Our Ocean Conference website: https://ourocean2019.no/

Vaccination is not required. If you are uncertain, please liaise with the Norwegian  embassy or consulate in your country.

See sample from past event below:

Card Our Ocean

We may require a profile picture with a white background and will inform selected participants in due time.