“The V&A Waterfront’s Ocean Life Festival will be held on the property every year as one of the ways in which we are looking to celebrate all that is related to the ocean,” said David Green, CEO of the V&A Waterfront.
“Volvo Ocean Race itself has been a catalyst for the evolution of the thinking around the potential of what the oceans economy can look like for the Western Cape, and South Africa. Supporting and developing South Africa’s oceans economy is a significant focus area for the V&A Waterfront, and the annual Oceans Life Festival will be but one of the ways we look to do this.”
This year, the festival will have a strong sustainability message, with many activities focusing on the harm that plastics and other foreign materials do to the world’s maritime assets. The educational programmes that form part of the festival will highlight the deteriorating state of the world’s oceans, and explore innovative solutions to protect the future of our waters.
Partnered with the V&A Waterfront to create the festival is the Dutch Consulate, which has taken a keen interest in working with South African entities to create sustainable solutions to ocean pollution.
“We are honoured to have partnered with the V&A Waterfront’s Ocean Life Festival. Through #cocreateSA, the Dutch Consulate General aims to co-create sustainable solutions. The #cocreateDESIGN activation promotes collaboration between designers from the Netherlands and South Africa. Together, they will creatively engage on solutions to the rapidly growing and critical problem of plastic polluting the ocean. I believe that by working together we will create awareness, change behaviour and leave behind a lasting legacy,” said Bonnie Horbach, Netherlands consul general.
View the full programme here.
