Meet Our Speakers

Prof. Dan Laffoley

Prof. Dan Laffoley

World Leader on Marine Protected Areas, IUCN Marine Vice Chair for IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas, Senior Advisor on Marine Science & Conservation in the Global Marine & Polar Programme.

Prof. Rashid Sumaila

Prof. Rashid Sumaila

Canada Research Chair (Tier I, Interdisciplinary Ocean & Fisheries Economics), University Killam Professor at the Institute for the Oceans & Fisheries

Prof. Mandy Lombard

Prof. Mandy Lombard

DST/NRF Professorship in Marine Spatial Planning at the Nelson Mandela University

Prof. Moeniba Isaacs

Prof. Moeniba Isaacs

Academic Coordinator & Professor at the Institute for Poverty, Land and Agrarian Studies (PLAAS)

Prof. Bram Buscher

Prof. Bram Büscher

Professor & Chair of the Sociology of Development & Change Group at Wageningen University, and visiting Professor at the University of Johannesburg & Stellenbosch University

Dr. David Obura

Dr. David Obura

Founding Director of CORDIO East Africa, IUCN Chair for the Coral Specialist Goup, part of the Global Partnership for Ocean’s Blue Ribbon Panel, steering committee of bioDiscovery

Dr. Kina Murphy

Dr. Kina Murphy

Conservation Biologist and independent consultant with a focus on increasing biodiversity in areas that have been heavily impacted by resource extraction

Karen Sack

Karen Sack

CEO & President of Ocean Unite, Co-Chair of the Ocean Risk & Resilience Action Alliance

Dr. Jennifer O'Leary

Dr. Jennifer O’Leary

Marine Scientist at the Wildlife Conservation Society with a focus on Western Indian Ocean Marine Protected Areas

Sinegugu Zukulu

Sinegugu Zukulu

Programme Manager at Umzimvubu Landscape at Conservation South Africa, with a focus on managing the Mzimvubu Catchment conservation and restoration through community stewardship

John Zulu

John Zulu

Conservation Office & Anthropology Site Manager of the Mosi-OaTunya/Victoria Falls Transboundary World Heritage Property, member of the Scientific Committee of Africa’s Transboundary World Heritage Properties, works with IUCN as a nature-culture expert

Randall Mabwa

Randall Mabwa

Regional Communications Officer for East at Blue Ventures Conservation with a focus on helping youth understand the usefulness of community-led conservation, the Blue Economy, associated challenges & successes

Steven Matema

Steven Matema

Social Ecologist from the Centre of Applied Social Studies at the University of Zimbabwe, and the Animal Production and Plant Production Systems groups at the Wageningen University

Sumaiya Harunany

Sumaiya Harunany

Environmental conservationist & the founder of the Blue Earth Organisation.

Evelyne Omondi

Evelyne Omondi

Community development practitioner & Programs Manager at the Big Ship Organisation

Antonio de Sacramento Cabral

Antonio de Sacramento Cabral

Program Director at Ocean Revolution Mozambique

Simagele Msweli

Simangele Msweli

Senior Manager of the Youth Leadership Program at the African Wildlife Foundation

Himkaar Singh

Himkaar Singh

Founder of The Compost Kitchen

Ezekiel Nyanfor

Ezekiel Nyanfor

Founder of the Liberian Youth for Climate Actions

Ghaamid Abdulbasat

Ghaamid Abdulbasat

Coordinator of the Tanzanian Youth Biodiversity Network, Geographic Young Explorer and Earth Day Org. Africa Co-director, Youth4Nature & High Seas Alliance Youth Ambassdor

Sherine Omondi

Sherine Omondi

Programme Coordinator at K-SAMMIT

Paul Cryer

Paul Cryer

Coordinator of the Applied Ecology Unit of the Conservation Trust

Paul Ayomide

Paul Eweola Ayomide

Youth Advisor at World Ocean Day, Manager of U-Recycle Initiative, Global Youth Ambassador of the Earth-Day Network, Regional Supervisor at Future Savers Sustainable Development and Founder of Aquaworld

Olivia Livingstone

Olivia Precious Livingstone

Alumnus of the World Oceans Day Youth Advisory Council, High Seas Youth Ambassador, European Development Day Young Leader and Community Mobiliser at the Environmental Justice Foundation

Nancy Iraba

Nancy Iraba

Founder of the Ocean Literacy Initiative and a NEWF Fellow, Co-founder and Science Communicator at Aqua-Farms, NEWF and 2021 Mandela Washington Fellow

Paa Kwesi E.A. Bonney

Paa Kwesi E.A. Bonney

European Development Day Young Leader and community organiser

Zandile Ndhlovu

Zandile Ndhlovu

South Africa’s first Black Freediving instructor and founder of the Black Mermaid Foundation

Emerson Neves

Emerson Neves

Sustainable Seas Project Manager, Top 100 Young Conservation Leaders (2021), and Global Youth Climate Network Climate Ambassador

Enock Mwewa

Enock Mwewa

Executive Director of Environment Savers of Zambia, Earth-Day Youth Ambassador & Climate Reality Leader

Mohamed Ali Sheikh

Mohamed Ali Sheik

Head of the Marine & Plastic Pollution Department at SOGPA, and Head of Research at the Ministry of Fisheries & Marine Resources Puntland Somalia

Hassan Mowlid Yasin

Hassan Mowlid Yasin

Co-founder & vice chairperson of the Somalia Greenpeace Association, One Young World Ambassador, member of the United Nation Environment Programme for Children & Youth, Global Youth Biodiversity Network and African Youth Initiative on Climate Change

Erica Tavares

Erica Tavares

Ecologist & Executive Director of EcoAngola

Oluwaseyi Moejoh

Oluwaseyi Moejoh

Executive Director of U-recycle Initiative Africa, National Geographic Young Explorer, a SUPER squad leader at OceanHeroes Network, 2021 Global Teen Leader, and a High Seas Youth Ambassador

Lucy Bird

Lucy Bird

Sustainability Projects & Education Officer at Change Agents UK

Janvan Kombo

Janvan Kombo

Works at the African Wildlife Foundation Policy Unit, with a focus on engaging African governments and institutions to help expand conservation and promote sustainable development

Sophumelela Qoma

Sophumelea Qoma

Conservation Educator in the Mossel Bay and Outreach Coordinator at Oceans Research Foundation, volunteer at Youth4MPAs

Forbi Perise

Forbi Perise

Youth leader and the African Regional Representative of the Sustainable Ocean Alliance

Frank Mirobo

Frank Mirobo

Secretary-General of Western Indian Ocean Early Career Scientists Network

Prisca Daka

Prisca Daka

Animal Lawyer and Chapter Coordinator of the Zimbabwe Youth Biodiversity Network

Andrea Rodericks

Andrea Rodericks

Independent consultant with NGOs, social enterprises, and movements around multi-disciplinary design and collaboration and organizational transitions.

Artists

Kaluki Paul Mutuku

Kaluki Paul

Digital Storyteller with 350.org, Africa Director of Youth4Naure and environmental educator

Thobile Ndimande

Thobile Ndimande

Co-founder & co-producer of the web series titled Black Girl Chats, writer for the Botlhale GH and Well Sexuality Eh! Woza, and a volunteer for the Wits Gender Equality Office

Isaac G Redd Jr

Isaac G Redd Jr

Liberian artist, diplomat, entrepreneur & green steward

Mapule Mohulatsi

Mapule Mohulatsi

Writer & PhD Candidate with research focusing on black aesthetics and the deep ocean

Dr Gcina Mhlophe & Nomakhwezi Becker

Dr Gcina Mhlophe & Nomakhwezi Becker

Dr Gcina Mhlophe is an author, storyteller & founding director of Gcinamasiko Arts & Heritage Trust.
Nomakhwezi Becker is a performer, writer, poet, arts administrator, and theatre workshop facilitator.

Umtha Namanyage

Umtha Namanyange

Writer, singer, song writer and arts activist