(Originally published on 09/11/2015)

11月6日，厦门 - 在联合国开发计划署、国家海洋局 (SOA) 、厦门市人民政府和东亚海域环境管理区域项目组织 (PEMSEA) 的共同支持下，“2015厦门国际海洋周”今日正式开幕。国际海洋周作为了国家间分享海洋政策、科学技术、决策和项目执行的平台，在推进中国海洋领域的对外交流与合作方面发挥了积极作用。

厦门国际海洋周迄今已经举办了10年。今年的主题为“共建21世纪海上丝绸之路：中国与海丝沿线国家的海洋合作”。联合国开发计划署驻华代表处国别主任文霭洁在开幕致辞中强调，各国需共同合作保护海洋，以实现可持续发展目标。

海洋是生命的摇篮，占地球表面积的70%。海洋驱动着全球生态系统，让地球的环境变得适宜人类生存，对各国经济及全球经济的重要性更是不言而喻。每年与沿海和海洋环境相关的产品及服务总产值可达2.5万亿美元。然而，全球海洋正遭受着严重的污染和破坏。

文霭洁女士在致辞中表示，没有哪个国家可以对这一全球性问题视而不见，也没有哪个国家可以仅凭一己之力解决这一问题。由于海洋连接着世界各国，海洋问题也需要各国采取协调一致的行动。文霭洁呼吁各国共同合作保护海洋环境。

文霭洁女士认为,中国正在不断地寻求创新的方法解决自己与其他国家的发展困难。为此，中国提出了 “一带一路战略计划”与G20，不断推动与海上丝绸之路沿线国家的合作来共同建设“21世纪海上丝绸之路经济带”。厦门国际海洋周则为在各国之间建立联系，让各国共同分享海洋权益，共同承担保护海洋的责任。

“我衷心希望国际海洋周继续发挥它的影响力，”文霭洁女士在发言中说道：“在促进海洋产业健康发展的同时，也推广海洋生物资源可持续利用，提升公众对海洋环境保护的意识。”

(Originally published on 11/06/2015)

6 November , Xiamen­- The 2015 World Ocean Week (WOW) today officially commenced in Xiamen, China. Co-supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) together with the State Oceanic Administration (SOA), the Xiamen Municipal Government and The Partnership in the Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA). This annual event has been serving as a platform to connect marine and social science, technology and public awareness with experiences in policy making and management towards achieving a sustainable use of coastal and marine resources.

Celebrating its 10^th anniversary the World Ocean Week, was this year themed “Jointly Building the 21^st Century Maritime Silk Road, Marine Cooperation between China and Silk Road Countries”. Ms. Agi Veres, UNDP China Country Director gave her opening remarks and emphasized the importance of cooperation among nations to protect the oceans and to achieve the new adopted Sustainable Development Goals.

As the Cradle of life, ocean plays an important role in both individual nations and the global economy. Globally, the costal and marine environment’s goods and services are estimated at 2.5 trillion USD per year. Yet, the long-term ecological health and sustainability of the marine and coastal environments are at risk, and the ocean degradation has become a global challenge.

Agi Veres, during her opening remarks noted,“no nation can spare itself from global issues. This is also true for oceans, with their obvious interconnectivity, no nation can fight this complex battle alone.” She called for collective action among states to ensure the sustainable development and utilization of marine resources, and to protect the marine environment.

Ms. Veres said that China has showed innovation and willingness to break new paths to address its own and other countries’ development challenges, which can be clearly demonstrated by new initiatives such as The Belt and Road initiative and G20. China has been promoting cooperation with other countries along the marine silk road to build the “21^st Century Maritime Silk Route Economic Belt” and WOW offers the opportunity to establish bonds among nations that share the rights and responsibilities of the oceans.

 “I hope that WOW will maintain its strong influence”, said Ms. Veres, “and even further facilitate the healthy development of marine industries, promote the sustainable utilization of marine resources and raise people’s awareness of marine environmental protection in the new dynamics of eco-civilization in China and the world.”