LocationsMy journey at the United Nations Ocean Conference
From local shores to global stages
July 15, 2025
At the UN Ocean Conference in Nice, a unique opportunity to bring youth-led ocean advocacy to the global stage.
Photo: José Francisco Ochoa
A reflection on how youth leadership, inclusive education and Samsung-supported innovation came together at the 2025 United Nations Ocean Conference in Nice, France.
When I landed in Nice on Sunday, June 8, I felt a surge of purpose and anticipation. The sea breeze welcomed me as if the city itself knew something special was about to unfold. The vibrant streets, the different languages and the energy surrounding the United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC) made it clear that I was stepping into something far bigger than myself. As a Generation17 Young Leader, this moment was more than a milestone. It was a unique opportunity to bring my youth-led ocean advocacy to a truly global stage.
On Monday, I explored La Baleine (the Whale), the conference’s public “Green Zone” where civil society, young people, artists, scientists and innovators converged to celebrate ocean solutions. Walking through the installations, hearing conversations in many languages, and witnessing ocean advocacy was deeply moving. While I have followed the work at UNOC in the past, experiencing it in person for the first time, with the support of Samsung and UNDP, made it even more meaningful.
Later, I joined Samsung at the “Driving Business Action for a Regenerative Ocean Economy” session, hosted by the World Economic Forum. The discussion highlighted how business must play a key role in shaping a sustainable ocean future. A powerful message shared there stayed with me; "If there is ambition without action, it is just hallucination." It captured the urgency I’ve always felt in climate work—an urgency that programs like Generation17 help turn into tangible progress.
In climate work, ambition alone is not enough. It needs urgency and action.
Art, ocean and community
On Tuesday, I experienced the ocean through the lens of art and community. As a Young Ocean Leader with the Sustainable Ocean Alliance (SOA) and part of SOA Ecuador’s executive team, this day was especially important to me. At the SOA Community-Wide Gathering during the Tidal Shifts Art Exposition, a live performance blending ambient music with underwater sounds created a powerful, sensory connection to the sea, demonstrating one of the many ways that technology, like that championed by Samsung, can be leveraged to help people around the world deepen their connection to the ocean.
Afterward we gathered on the beach with members of the SOA community from around the world, continuing conversations under the evening sky. I had the chance to share more about my work with Academia del Océano and my journey as a Generation17 Young Leader. I proudly shared how the initiative has connected me to global platforms like UNOC, amplifying my voice and giving me the tools to grow my impact.
That night, I felt more connected than ever—to my purpose, to this movement, and to a global family working for the ocean.
If we can see it, we can save it
Wednesday was the busiest and most inspiring day of the week. At Ocean House in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, the “Spotlighting the Next Generation of Ocean Innovation and Leadership” event, co-hosted by Sustainable Ocean Alliance and the Goldman Environmental Prize, brought together environmental pioneers and emerging youth leaders. I had the chance to listen to three Goldman Prize winners from Spain, Costa Rica and the Cook Islands. Their stories of resilience and impact were unforgettable and reaffirmed the power of grassroots leadership.
Later, I joined a breakout session led by Jacqueline Evans, a Goldman Prize winner known for her work in establishing marine protected areas in the Cook Islands. I also connected with SOA Ocean Fellows from Mexico, Portugal, and Egypt. Their energy, experience, and solutions-oriented mindset were inspirational.
The day’s highlight was the premiere of Coral in Focus, a powerful documentary produced by Samsung, in partnership with Seatrees. The film explores community-based coral restoration efforts in Fiji using Galaxy technology to document and support ecosystem recovery. The message of the documentary was clear: coral reefs are under threat, and we must act now. These ecosystems are biodiversity hotspots, critical for coastal protection, tourism and climate resilience. The documentary’s central message is powerful: "If we can see it, we can save it." And it’s true. When we make the invisible visible, we can drive real change.
One feature that really stood out was Galaxy's Ocean Mode. This feature optimizes the Galaxy camera to help communities easily capture underwater images to aid in coral monitoring and restoration. After the screening, I tested the tool on the shoreline with the Seatrees team. The clarity and potential of this technology are incredible, and a true example of Samsung’s commitment to supporting local changemakers with real technological solutions. The panel discussion that followed, featuring Cassie Smith from Samsung, Michael Stewart from Seatrees, filmmaker Quentin van den Bossche, Dr Daniel Wangpraseurt from Scripps and Alex Heath from Edelman, further highlighted the power of cross-sector collaboration and like-minded partnership to drive environmental progress—an ethos also at the heart of Generation17.
A moment to speak for the ocean
On Thursday, I had the honour of speaking at UNESCO’s “Knowing, Feeling, and Acting for the Ocean” session. It was an incredible opportunity to share the work we’re doing in Ecuador through Academia del Océano. I spoke about the deep gap in access to ocean conservation knowledge, and how information and resources around issues like marine pollution and climate action are often unavailable in Spanish or disconnected from the realities of our communities.
At Academia del Océano, we address this gap through a hybrid education model that includes both digital learning and hands-on training at our center in San Jacinto, Manabí. Through digital platforms, we’ve reached students across Latin America, overcoming barriers of language and geography to make ocean and climate education more inclusive and accessible than ever before.
As a Generation17 Young Leader, the United Nations Ocean Conference was a unique opportunity to bring youth-led ocean advocacy to a global stage.
Photo: José Francisco Ochoa
The event was co-organized by early-career ocean professionals and featured powerful voices from around the world. It was moderated by the brilliant Mia Strand from Ocean Nexus, whom I had the chance to connect with throughout the day. One especially beautiful moment came from Shengui Li from China, who gifted framed marine artwork created by children from her community.
I also spoke about my role as a Generation17 Young Leader and how this programme has shown me that even small, local actions can reach global audiences. We all had something in common, starting small, but we shared one belief; if the ocean thrives, the planet thrives.
And because no ocean conference would be complete without it, we closed the day in the water. Our symbolic “Water Break” at Villefranche-sur-Mer was the perfect ending, a moment to reconnect with the ocean and reflect on what unites us.
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