Ocean Lovers founders honoured

Ocean Lovers Festival co-founders Anita Kolni and Carolyn Grant have been recognised with the United Nations Day Honour Award for their work in public engagement on ocean conservation.

The award was presented at the annual UN Day Lunch at NSW Parliament House last month, by United Nations Association of Australia NSW (UNAA NSW) president and chair Dr Patricia Jenkings.

“This award is in recognition of your leadership and vision in founding the Ocean Lovers Festival, whose work embodies the values and goals of the United Nations, and for your significant contribution to raising awareness of ocean conservation and sustainability across Australia,” Jenkings said.

Ocean Lovers was founded in Bondi in 2019, with Kolni staging the first festival at Bondi Beach in April of that year. The organisation describes itself as Australia’s largest cultural and science celebration for the ocean, bringing together science, First Nations knowledge, education, innovation, business and community.

Its programs include free public festivals, school education, youth innovation, ocean wellbeing initiatives and the Blue Solutions Summit.