13 MAY 2004 -- In celebration of the “MONTH OF THE OCEAN” the Maritime and Ocean Affairs Center of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA-MOAC) organized an exhibit with the theme “Common Seas, Common Heritage: An Exhibit of Cooperative Undertakings to Conserve Ocean Resources.”

The exhibit is the kick-off event for a series of activities during the month of May, which has been declared as the month of the ocean under Proclamation No. 57 Series of 1999. The month of may was chosen because it is the peak of the fishing season in the Philippines and thus provides an appropriate venue for direct beneficiaries to show their support for management initiatives pertaining to the oceans.

Proclamation 57 was spurred by the resolution of the United Nations General Assembly declaring 1998 as the International Year of the Ocean.  This annual celebration has provided a “window of opportunity for governments, organizations, and individuals to become aware of the ocean and to consider the actions needed to undertake common responsibility to sustain the greatest common heritage we have and without which we cannot exist.”
 
At the opening of the exhibit depicting initiatives of the DFA-MOAC addressing ocean concerns, members of the international community were exhorted to support marine scientific research and transfer of marine technology.
 
The exhibit was officially launched by Acting Secretary of Foreign Affairs Jose Brillantes, Secretary General Alberto Encomienda and DFA Spokesperson Julia C. Heidemann with Ambassadors and officials from Argentina, Great Britain, Laos, Nigeria, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Portugal, Netherlands, Romania, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Russia, Chile, France, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Iran, Cuba, Qatar, and Sweden. - END