Hello WIOMSA Family!
Welcome to the 10th WIOMSA Scientific Symposium in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania! We thank you all for attending and participating. The opening ceremony started with beautiful music provided by the University of Dar es Salaam Creative Arts Department Choir.
We heard from our president Dr Jacqueline Uku about the expanding WIOMSA portfolio and secretariat, and we look towards the future in which WIOMSA continues to play an important role in marine science and coastal sustainability in the WIO region. As Dr Uku said, get to know people, be engaged – you never know if you may one day be standing on the WIOMSA stage addressing delegates and participants of a future symposium.
WIOMSA continues to grow and strengthen ties with local and international partners, and we thank our local organising committee, the Institute of Marine Sciences (IMS) and the Department of Aquatic Science and Fisheries Technology (DASFT) at the University of Dar es Salaam, the Tanzania Fisheries Research Institute (TAFIRI), and of course the Governments of Tanzania and of Sweden, and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), as well as other international partners such as the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) and UNESCO (https://en.unesco.org/).
WIOMSA is moving forward with it’s new journal, the WIO Journal of Marine Science (http://www.wiomsa.org/wio-journal-of-marine-science/) and we ask for submissions of research from all parts of the region, especially inter- and transdisciplinary work focused on sustainability and commmunity. WIOMSA also plays an important role in the Nairobi Convention, and will focus on the science-to-policy interface as the implementation of the Sustainable DEvelopment Goals (SDGs) moves forward.
Our symposium this year has 536 registered delegates, and hundreds of talks and posters.
Of course, no symposium opening day is complete without the cocktail hour! Once again it started with a bang and we were all treated to local drumming and dancing, as well as a unique body painting exhibition that was enjoyed by all!
We look forward to an exciting symposium!
