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World Oceans Day Poetry Competition closing soon

Published: 28 April 2017

It’s time to put your best poems forward for the 2017 World Oceans Day Poetry Competition, which closes at 4pm Friday 19 May.

Formerly known as the Seaweek Poetry Competition, this year’s theme is the same as that for Seaweek, held earlier in the year - Healthy Seas Healthy People – Toiora te Moana – Toiora te Tangata. There are five categories to choose from; primary, intermediate and secondary school age, adult, and Te Reo, which is open to all ages.

Organised by the National Aquarium of New Zealand, the poetry competition has been moved to Term two so that schools can have more time to prepare for the event.

In past years, the popular competition has drawn entrants from all over the country, but some teachers found it difficult to organise students to write poems during the first month of the term when so many other activities are happening so the timing has changed.

The new date for the much anticipated Poetry Reading Evening when the winners will also be revealed is June 8, World Oceans Day.

The overall theme for World Oceans Day 2017 is Our Oceans, Our Future and the conservation action focus is to encourage solutions to plastic pollution and prevent marine litter for a healthier ocean and a better future.

"We thought this was a perfect combination of events and a shared focus for our competition," says National Aquarium Education Coordinator Carol Larson.

"This year our team are focusing on public awareness of how simple household items can pose great hazards to marine life.  Things like balloons and straws are very dangerous if they end up in the sea.  Seabirds are hugely affected."

This year’s judges will be Tryphena Cracknell, for the Te Reo entries, and Marie Dunningham for those in English. The National Aquarium is sponsoring prizes, with Ngati Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated again sponsoring the prizes for the Te Reo category. All entrants will be invited to the Poetry Reading Evening held at the National Aquarium, beginning at 7pm.

To find out more about Seaweek and its aims, go to www.seaweek.org.nz

For more information about World Oceans Day, go to www.worldoceansday.org

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