<div style="text-align: justify; "><span style="font-size: 1rem;"><b>Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud has attended the "9th Our Ocean Conference Greece 2024" held in Athens on April 16-17.</b></span><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He led a delegation at the Conference which is a regular platform for governments, international organisations, academia, private sectors and NGOs to come together with the aim of sharing&nbsp; a common vision for the protection of oceans and taking actions to support this vision.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The conference was inaugurated by the Greek President through a video message, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On the first day, apart from various plenary sessions on greening of the shipping sector, confronting plastic pollution, effective management of marine protected areas, ocean-climate nexus, the foreign minister participated in a high-level segment with the participation of Heads of State/Government, preceded by an event where the Geek Prime Minister delivered the keynote speech.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The foreign minister also took part in a working lunch hosted by the Greek foreign minister in honor of the participating toreign ministers.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the morning of 16th April, on the sidelines of the conference, the foreign minister had a bilateral meeting with the Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The ocean plays a key role in human existence; it is essential for people's survival, well-being and prosperity.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It provides food, regulates our climate, and generates most of the oxygen we breathe.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It also serves much of the world’s economy, supporting sectors from tourism to fisheries and to international shipping while it is connected to our culture and is a major source of inspiration.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">However, the health of seas and the ocean, and of marine ecosystems in particular, is threatened by unsustainable practices such as discharges of wastewater and marine litter, unregulated and unreported fishing, unsustainable shipping and tourism activities, said the speakers.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">To mitigate the negative impacts from human interventions and improve the current state of our oceans, it is essential to join efforts on a global scale, they said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">Collaboration among nations, NGOs, private entities, academia, professional groups, civil society organisations and more, is of paramount importance for implementing effective solutions, fostering sustainable practices, and safeguarding the delicate equilibrium of oceans.</div>