The event organised by Norway Pavilion, in partnership with the United Nations, called for action to put sustainability in the heart of ocean management.

As a part of Sustainable Development goals, the Expo 2020 Dubai saw hundreds of visitors on Monday walk for the event ‘Walk for the Ocean’, to raise awareness about plastic pollution.

The event organised by Norway Pavilion, in partnership with the United Nations, called for action to put sustainability in the heart of ocean management.

Plastic pollution is a huge environmental issue in the world right now, especially for the marine ecosystem. At least 14 million tonnes of plastic end up in the ocean every year, and plastic makes up 80 per cent of all marine debris found from surface waters to deep-sea sediments.

Marine species often ingest or become entangled in the products, causing them severe injuries and death. Marine wildlife such as seabirds, whales, fish, and turtles mistake plastic waste for prey; most then die of starvation as their stomachs become filled with plastic.

Thus, to create awareness on the same on such a big global platform, participants, dressed in t-shirts that gave out the message walked via Mobility, Sustainability and back to Opportunity pavilion. They also stopped at selected national pavilions to give message statements.

Ole Johan Sandvaer, Commissioner General of the Norway Pavilion, said the campaign was organised to focus on sustainable ocean solutions and that “The ocean is important to everyone. Why Munch? Because the oceans have been screaming at us for help.”

The event, then culminated in the unveiling of an installation outside the pavilion with an image of Norwegian artist Edvard Munch’s famous painting, “The Scream”, along with the hashtag, #Scream4Ocean, as a global call to action.