Sustainable Development: IMO’s contribution beyond Rio+20
Every year, during the last week of September, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) celebrates World Maritime Day. This year, on the 25th and 26th September, Transport Deputy Minister, Honourable Sindisiwe Chikunga will host the World Maritime Day Career Expo and Exhibition and Galla Dinner celebrations at the Mittah Seperepere Conference Centre in Kimberly, Northern Cape under the theme “Sustainable Development: International Maritime Organization’s contribution beyond Rio+20”.
Deputy Minister Chikunga, who will give a keynote address during the celebrations, will be joined by Northern Cape MEC for Transport, Safety and Liaison Honourable Mac Jack, maritime industry CEOs and captains and senior national and provincial government officials.
The World Maritime Day 2013 will be celebrated in Peru on Thursday, 26 September with parallel events being hosted by various IMO member countries across the globe.In the Northern Cape, the celebrations will be attended by school children from previously disadvantaged communities who will all display their knowledge of the maritime sector through educational displays and exhibitions.
The day will also be used as a platform to create more awareness about careers in the maritime industry. South Africa has declared 2013 as Maritime Year.
Key maritime stakeholders such as the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) the Department of Environmental Affairs, Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA), Transnet Port Terminals (TPT), Grinrod Shipping Company, Smit Amandla and the Northern Cape province will hold exhibitions and maritime experts will engage with and educate the learners about the details and activities of the industry including vocational experience.
Schools around the Northern Cape, in particular will participate in a competition involving a variety of criteria such as:
- ship designing;
- essay writing;
- drama, and
- art competition
The South African Navy will form part of the celebrations and learners from the participating schools will become beneficiaries of bursaries offered by the maritime industry
The detail of the events are as follows:
1. Maritime career expo and exhibition
Date: Wednesday 25 September 2013
Time: 10h00
Venue: Mittah Seperepere Conference Center, Kimberly
2. World Maritime day gala dinner and awards
Date: Thursday, 26 September 2013
Time: 18h30 for 19h00
Venue: Mittah Seperepere Conference Center, Kimberly
All media are invited to attend:
Journalists attending the events are requested to confirm their attendance with:
Sam Monareng
Cell: 071 872 0744
Keitumetse Moticoe
Cell: 074 251 6767.
Further inquiries:
Sam Monareng
Cell: 071 872 0744
