By Ali Islame Farouk – Comoros
I was born in my mother’s village in the Southwest of the Comoros, which is a long way from the ocean, but I grew up in my father’s coastal village in the Southeast. I’ve been in contact with the ocean ever since I was a child, and I’ve always admired the sea. The Comoros are located in the Mozambique Channel between Madagascar and Mozambique. Living on islands surrounded entirely by the sea, I was most impressed by the diversity of biodiversity and ecosystems on each island I visited. This reinforced my awareness of the importance of the sea and the need to understand and learn how to protect it.
I’m very fascinated by the diversity under the sea, this blue immensity, these great beaches. The ocean covers 71% of the earth’s surface and accounts for 97% of the planet’s water. But it is also an incredible economic resource: wherever you live, even far from the coast, your life depends on the ocean. Fishing, offshore energy, transporting goods – they all depend on the sea.
For me, the ocean signifies the impression of feeling at one with the universe, just as in the Islamic religion water is also a symbol of purification. The meaning of this word has an all too practical religious connotation, which consists of washing to forget or to erase that which bothers and that which disturbs. It also seems to be the symbol of the search for a certain purity. In fact, I remember when I was a child, every New Year my father and I and other families went to the beach in the morning to bathe in order to remove impurities and start the New Year purified.
The first time I took the small boat to the island of Mohéli, I was struck by the immensity of the sea. I felt like a drop of water in the face of infinity. Being surrounded by sea, the Comoros are very dependent on the sea. Virtually all goods and food arrive by boat; travel from one island to another is more often by boat. The ocean alone provides more than 50% of the oxygen we breathe. A large proportion of the Comorian population lives near the coast, and the ocean represents an essential resource for the food security of hundreds of thousands of people.
In my current role in ocean governance, I feel privileged to have the opportunity to contribute to the protection and sustainable use of our precious ocean. Growing up surrounded by the sea in the Comoros and witnessing its importance to our livelihoods has deepened my appreciation for its beauty and significance. It is my hope that through collective efforts, we can ensure a healthy and thriving ocean ecosystem for future generations.
“Journeys to the Sea” is a new series of inspiring stories that highlight the personal connections of marine professionals with the ocean. As a follow up to World Oceans Day on June 8th, WIOMSA is excited to launch a three-month-long celebration dedicated to the ocean. The series will feature 34 unique stories from across the Western Indian Ocean region. These stories will share firsthand accounts of ocean-related experiences, reflections, and narratives from participants who have been part of the Sida-funded International Training Programme on marine spatial planning, “Planning for a Sustainable Blue Future in the Western Indian Ocean”. The stories have been part of the Ocean Storytelling component of the workshop, led by Dr Mia Strand, Nelson Mandela University. Read the collection of stories here.
Feature photo: Gabriel Barathieu/Ocean Image Bank
