Congratulations to the World Ocean Day Youth Advisory Council 2026-2027!
Meet the 27 inspiring young leaders who represent 24 diverse countries and backgrounds! We are excited to work closely with them in the year ahead to catalyze collective action for a healthy ocean and a stable climate. Together – working with thousands of other youth and organizations from all sectors – we will take action throughout the year and make World Ocean Day 2027 the biggest and most impactful yet!
- Alexandra Kristofovicova – Slovakia
- Anna Shapulenko – Russia
- Aruna Bekniyaz – Kazakhstan
- Bayardo Pagoada Eguigurems – Honduras
- Beatrice Luchagula – Tanzania
- Carlos Lopez – United States
- Cedric Sunassee – Mauritius
- Che Divine Nsoh – Cameroon
- Diina Shatipamba – Namibia
- Enya Fang – Canada
- Isabel Giorgioni – Italy
- Isobelle Kennedy – England
- Jonpolat Turgunov – Uzbekistan
- Karen Lopez Melendez – Puerto Rico
- Kelin (Caitlynn) Du – China
- Leila Anderson-Bryan – Wales
- Lilyan Abu Soufeh – Jordan
- Luca Asshauer – Germany
- Matthew Nagel – Bermuda
- Ona Santisteban Uribarri – Spain
- Punyajit Mishra – India
- Rhoda Bimnenui Ngwa – Cameroon
- Samintang – Indonesia
- Sara Gíria – Portugal
- Stella Hong – United States
- Tan Hoang Dinh – Vietnam
- Vienna Yandhan – Indonesia
Each Council member provides fresh perspectives and ideas to further develop World Ocean Day as a unique rallying point for celebration and action around the world on the 8th of June and throughout the year. Collectively, they will grow the global youth movement for a better future for our blue planet.
Thank you to all 768 young people from 113 countries who applied this year to join the Council!
With so many talented young people applying, it was incredibly challenging to select this year’s Council. It is heartening to learn about so many incredible young people worldwide who care about our world ocean and are looking to take action! In an ideal world, we would have the budget and staffing to work more closely with everyone but for now, we will at least look forward to connecting with you via our monthly for youth, Rising Blue Network Newsletter.
Thank you to this year’s World Ocean Day Youth Advisory Council Selection Committee who spent many hours reviewing dozens of applications to help us pick this year’s winners!
- Niki Mazaroli, Director of Sustainability & Community Engagement, Open Water, United States
- Patrick O’Callaghan, Executive Director, Deliberate Impact, Australia
- Leneka Scott, Caribbean Regional Lead, High Seas Alliance, Jamaica
- Volita Yego, Early Career Ocean Professional (ECOP) Manager, SOI Foundation, Canada
Special thanks to the World Ocean Day Youth Advisory Council alumni network review team who helped throughout the last two months to carefully look through all the applicants. You are incredible and so helpful!
- Alexandra Carolina Orué Carranza, Peru
- Arushi Surve, USA
- Bimochan Pathak, Nepal
- Christine Nicole Agbayani, Philippines,
- Cojitha Senanayake, Sri Lanka
- Ilona Mayerau-Lonne, New Caledonia
- Jeremiah Ugochukwu, Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Le Minh Chau Truong, Germany
- Liam Pope-Lau, Canada
When Youth Lead, Our Ocean Wins!
We are excited to work with the new Council members, the Council alumni network of 173 young people in 75 countries, and thousands of other youth leaders in our global network, as well as other youth-focused organizations and all the other amazing organizations from all sectors in our global network of 2,000 in 200 countries.
We are thankful for the many amazing young people and incredible older people whom we collaborate with! We are eager to expand our efforts in an intergenerational approach to creating and building a stronger movement for a sustainable, equitable society and a healthy blue planet where all living things can thrive.