The international symposium was held under the theme of "Climate Change & Ocean Challenge – Towards the Era of a Blue Economy" and had as objective a reassessment of the global efforts related to the preservation of the oceans and the coasts, a sharing of experiences, best practices and wisdom related to climate change and oceans.

The oceans are a central element in climate change. Close to half of the world's population lives in the coastal areas and will face serious challenges due to ocean warming, sea level rise, ice melting, vulnerable bio-diversity and ocean acidification. The oceans and the climate are so inextricably linked that without taking both of them into consideration agreements on plans for climate change mitigation and adaptation actions in the future cannot be formulated.

Biliana Cicin-Sain, Professor of Marine Policy at University of Delaware and co-chair for the Global Forum on Oceans, Coasts and Islands made the keynote speech.

Danny Philip, Prime Minister of Solomon Islands, a country with an extremely rich marine environment negatively affected by climate change, made a special speech.

Mahamed Aslam, Minister of Housing, Transport and Environment of Maldives, was also present and spoke on behalf of his country. The Maldives is known to be vulnerable to the impacts of sea level rise due to its low altitude from the mean sea level.

A great number of leading figures and experts on the ocean attended the event.

The forum was comprised of 8 general sessions and 6 special sessions (to see the complete programme, please click here).

General sessions:

Session I, "Climate Crisis & Oceans Adaptation"

Session III, "Green Port, Green Shipping"

Session IV, "Marine Bio-Med"

Session VI, "Ocean Policy & Governance"

Session VII, "Ocean Tourism & Cruise Industry"

Session VIII, "New Paradigms for Fisheries"

Special sessions:

Session I: Climate Change & the Shipping Industry;

Session II: International Cooperation for 'Marine Debris' in China, Japan, and Korea;

Session III: The Asian Network for Using Algae as a CO2 Sink;

Session IV: The Role of Design in the Marine Era;

Session V: Promotion Strategy & Human Resources Development for Offshore Plant Industry;

Session VI: Marine Science & Technology Transfer Seminar 2010

The third meeting of the International Selection Committee of the Ocean and Coast Best Practices Area (OCBPA) of Expo 2012 Yeosu and the Meeting for the National Review Committee on the Yeosu Declaration were also held in conjunction with the symposium.

BIE Secretary-General at the First International Planning Meeting - EXPO 2012 Yeosu Korea

09/04/10 - Organizers of EXPO 2012 Yeosu Korea held its "First International Planning Meeting" this week on Wednesday and Thursday (April 7-8) in Seoul and in Yeosu, South Korea.

Representatives from 85 countries and 2 international organizations participated in the meeting, during which issues related to the international participation to the Expo were discussed, including the conditions of participation, logistics, and the thematic content of the Expo.

Opening remarks were made by the Chairman of the Organizing Committee for EXPO 2012 Yeosu Korea.  Chairman Kang said that "the Yeosu Expo will become an arena where countries can share their visions about the preservation and sustainable development of the oceans."  He expects that the Expo will "become the turning-point where a new blueprint for the future of marine science and technology will be created."

The Secretary-General of the BIE, Vicente Gonzalez Loscertales, also addressed the meeting: "Your presence here is a sign of a friendship that links countries and of a shared understanding that the world needs opportunities. Yeosu 2012 is an opportunity to talk about what we can do to improve the quality of our maritime resources, and what solutions we can implement in a spirit of cooperation and solidarity."

The Commissioner of the Expo, Ambassador Lee Joon-hee, stressed the importance the Korean government is putting on the event: "The Korean government regards the Yeosu Expo as one of its highest priorities, and is firmly committed to hosting a successful Expo in 2012 with the enthusiastic support of the Korean people."  He stated that the aim is "not only to provide a vision for the protection and conservation of the oceans, but to showcase the future of green technology in this field. As such, the Expo 2012 will serve as a unifying force in making Mother Earth a cleaner and greener place to live."

Participants were then presented with the master plan of the Expo and an introduction to Korea's southern coastal region.  Presentations were also made on the international pavilions at the Expo, the support to be provided to participants, key features of the Expo including the Yeosu Declaration and Yeosu Project, issues related to the transportation, accomodation, and operations at the Expo, as well as on the commercial and promotional activities of the event.

On Thursday, participants visited the site of the Expo in Yeosu.

EXPO Yeosu will be held for three months in 2012 (May 12 - August 12), with the theme, "The Living Ocean and Coast: Diversity of Resources and Sustainable Activities."

So far, 44 countries and 3 international organizations have officially confirmed their participation to the Expo.

19/11/09 - The 3rd International Symposium on the Expo 2012 Yeosu Korea was held today in Jeju, South Korea, gathering high-level speakers and experts to define and develop the theme of the International Expo in 2012 - "The Living Ocean and Coast: Diversity of Resources and Sustainable Activities."

The symposium focused on EXPO Yeosu 2012's vision for green growth, its ocean and coast-related best practices, the Yeosu Declaration, the Yeosu Poject, as well as on the blue economy.

In his speech during the opening ceremony, the BIE Secretary-General, Vicente Gonzalez Loscertales, thanked the Korean authorities for their initiative to organize the symposium, an important milestone for the EXPO Yeosu 2012 project, and the speakers for their contribution.  Loscertales said that the Expo, as "a unique opportunity for global public communication," will be" a key asset for governments and international organizations in their effort to promote the major issues at the top of their global agendas and to remind the general public of the targets already set."  He also said that for the city of Yeosu and for Korea, the Expo "will place them at the forefront of the global dialogue on a key issue for humanity and contribute to attach a more innovative and relevant image that advances their brand as well as their cultural and political identity."

The symposium was hosted by the Korean Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs, Presidential Committee on Green Growth, the Organizing Committee for EXPO 2012 Yeosu Korea, Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, and Jeju National University.