The 17th of July is particularly special as it is the chosen date for the commemoration of the Blue Economy Day.
One may ponder as to why this day should be considered as special and why it is worthy of national recognition. To appropriately answer such questions there is a need for us to reflect on what the blue economy means to us and what it represents to us as a people and as a nation.
Central to such reflections is our status as an island nation, which makes the ocean our biggest territory and therefore our biggest asset. It equally makes the ocean our main source of livelihood both currently and futuristically; providing of course that our present and forthcoming actions are effectively oriented around the principles of sustainability.
Considering our country’s particular disposition, blue economy could therefore be deemed as the most logical socio-economic pathway that could be pursued to attain sustainable societal progression whilst maintaining a desirable level of environmental integrity.
Hence, it could be inferred that for Seychelles, the blue economy represents the promise of a bright and promising future, not just for us but for our children and the future generation. This could surely be considered as reason enough for us to give the blue economy the limelight it deserves and for it to be celebrated on the 17th of July.
Though, like it is for the best things in life, we would have to put in some hard work in order to get to this desirable and much awaited future. We will need to combine our efforts and move forward as a nation.
The blue economy concerns all of us; its successful implementation will benefit all of us, but it will also depend on all of us. We will therefore all need to assume our responsibilities and to be mindful of our actions both on land and at sea, since the two realms are interlinked and whatever happens in one could impact the other.
Negative actions, the likes of pollution, vagrancy, disunity, lethargy and unaccountability, beget a bleak future. Meanwhile, blue economy as a principle thrives on inclusivity and equity, and targets shared prosperity. Thus, so much could be achieved if we could direct our individual efforts towards positive actions and towards this one united goal.
The long-lasting bright and promising future that the blue economy echoes is within our grasp, and it will be ours if we decide to collectively reach out and get it. I hope that the Blue Economy Day serves as a reminder of that and continuously stands as this glimmer of hope for the coming future.