Introduction
You are invited to be a part of an international effort to change the public attitude towards the ocean and to actively protect this ecosystem that keeps our world healthy. If the ocean isn't healthy, people are in jeopardy. Our kids deserve to be given a healthy legacy.
Pressures from a rapidly growing world population are increasing at an exponential rate. From C02 concentrations that accelerate global climate change to global depletion of fishery stocks, the problems are unprecedented and will require innovative solutions. A worldwide network of educators who focus on and are prepared to share knowledge and resources to solve these problems is essential.
Designing a network of educators for sustainable oceans was the goal of the One Ocean Marine Forum held in Hawaii in July 2005.
The International Pacific Marine Educators Conference (IPMEC) is an outcome of the Forum and aims to further the establishment of a worldwide network of marine educators by piloting a regional network for the Pacific. Approximately 100 marine educators will gather January 15 to 19, 2007, at the University of the South Pacific in Suva, Fiji, to share resources and build a network aimed at ensuring the health of the Pacific Ocean and the communities who depend upon it.
Sponsorship Package and Benefits
Your assistance and contribution in furthering a new tomorrow for our oceans is greatly appreciated. It is understood that your contribution will be a source of pride and it is also important to assist you with other benefits that may be helpful to you and your organization. IPMEC is seeking both direct financial contributions and non-financial (in-kind) contributions from a range of sponsors. These contributions will be acknowledged in a variety of venues and will receive the following benefits:
Platinum Sponsor (US$50,000 or more)
- Sponsor logo prominently displayed at top of the IPMEC website homepage
- Sponsor logo displayed at the top of title page of any material printed or published by IPMEC
- Sponsor summary and web link on IPMEC website
- Receipt of three copies each of any publications generated by the conference
Gold Sponsor (US$25,000 or more)
- Sponsor logo displayed at the base of the IPMEC website home page
- Sponsor logo displayed at the base of title page of any material printed or published by IPMEC
- Sponsor summary and web link on IPMEC website
- Receipt of two copies each of any publications generated by the conference
Silver Sponsor (US$5,OOO or more)
- Sponsor name displayed at the base of the IPMEC website homepage
- Sponsor name displayed at the base of title page of any material printed or published by IPMEC
- Sponsor summary and web link on IPMEC website
- Receipt of one copy each of any publications generated by the conference
Donations will be collected and managed by Pacific Rim Concepts, email prc@hawaiiJr.com, fax + 1 808236-3621, phone + 1 808864-9812, www.pacificrimconcepts.net/index.html
Funding Rationale
Objectives
- To provide scholarships for conference delegates unable to fund their own conference expenses, particularly from typically underrepresented and/or unrepresented nations from within the Pacific Rim and Pacific Basin, such as Central and South America, the Pacific islands and Asia. Sponsors wishing to provide scholarship funds may specify that it be for participants from a particular country or region.
- To support conference costs to keep the conference fee reasonable for educators not receiving scholarships.
- To involve a wider audience by web casting critical elements of the conference worldwide both interactively in real time and through video-streams for later downloading.
- To establish and maintain for two years after completion of the conference an interactive website to share curricula, programs and projects and a web conferencing facility to allow widely dispersed network members to communicate effectively, inexpensively and in real time.
Outcomes
- The establishment of a network of marine educators in the Pacific (including classroom teachers, informal educators and other community, government and non-government representatives involved in marine education) to share resources and to eventually link with marine educators worldwide.
- The development of a model that marine educators elsewhere in the world can use to establish and maintain their own regional networks.
- The identification and development of standards of ocean literacy at local and regional levels.
- The identification and distribution of proven marine-related curricula and educational resources useful to communities in the Pacific.
- The identification of needed marine-related curricula and educational resources and potential means for developing them.
- The identification of challenges to and solutions for knowledge and resource sharing within the Pacific taking into account the cultural, socioeconomic and technological diversity within the region.
- The identification of and establishment of working relations with other groups and organizations using similar approaches to resource sharing and network building in order to reduce unnecessary duplication of effort and to maximize synergies.
- The establishment of means to ensure the active continuation and expansion of the network of marine educators in the Pacific.
Partners
For more information, please contact
Harry Breidahl (Australia): phone +613 9787-6762, nautilused@optusnet.com.au
Sylvia Spalding (USA): phone + 1 808 522-5341, sylvia.spaldlng@noaa.gov
Joeli Veitayaki (Fiji): phone +679 321-2890 or 321-2092, veitayakij@usp.ac.fj
