Pulitzer Center Update April 26, 2024
Youth in DRC Coastal Communities Learn about Ocean Biodiversity
Country:
Fifty-four young people, including students, members of civil society, and fishermen, discussed the link between the well-being of the oceans, sea turtles, and coastal communities on February 8, 2024, at the Parc Marin des Mangroves in Moanda, Democratic Republic of Congo.
In partnership with the ONGD 100 Jjeunes Ppour le Développement du Congo, a local youth movement, and with the support of the Pulitzer Center, the event allowed young people to increase their knowledge on ocean biodiversity for their own well-being, and to be sensitized to ocean protection.
"I enjoyed the activity because I live in Moanda, but I didn't know there was a place where you can find turtle nests. It made me realize that the ocean is a heritage that we must protect for the benefit of us all," one of the participants expressed.
The discussion platform led to the creation of a framework for exchanges between Institut Congolais de la Conservation de la Nature (ICCN), the DRC's conservation authority, and fishermen, who until then had been unable to agree on a ban on fishing in certain areas and for certain endangered species.
The event also provided a framework for dialogue between students, civil society, the media, and religious leaders, with a goal to raise awareness of the need to protect the ocean and its biodiversity.
The two frameworks are managed and supervised by the ONGD 100 Jjeunes Ppour le Développement du Congo and the Réseau RASTOMA.
