Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) once again hosted its highly anticipated annual event, World Ocean Week 2025 (WOW 2025), in conjunction with the global celebration of World Ocean Day, observed on June 8 each year.

Carrying the theme “Hear the Ocean’s Voice: Respect, Protect, Restore”, the WOW 2025 celebration reflects UMT’s unwavering annual support for UNESCO’s World Oceans Day (WOD) campaign, held worldwide on June 8. WOW aims to deliver global awareness at the local level, fostering understanding within communities about the importance of keeping marine resources clean and healthy.

WOW 2025 featured a wide range of activities designed to raise awareness and provide opportunities for the public to join UMT in protecting the environment and nurturing a collective spirit of marine conservation.

Among the programmes held were the WOW 2025 Carnival, the Young Conservationist Poster Video Presentation, Beach Clean Up, Curatorial Volunteer Club (CVC): Citizen Science Ambassador, Sukarelawan Penyu (Sea Turtle Volunteers), the Coastal Geohazard Seminar: Adaptation and Mitigation Against Coastal Erosion and Climate Change, the Sea Level Rise Workshop, and the MSR Guidelines Workshop.

The WOW 2025 Carnival, the event’s central programme, was held on 28 June at the UMT campus and its surrounding areas, led by the Institute of Oceanography and Environment (INOS), the main organizer of WOW 2025. The vibrant carnival featured various activities involving people of all ages, including Run With Penyu 5.0, a Children’s Colouring Contest, Health and Dental Screenings, Sports Carnival, Young Conservationist Poster Video Presentation, and Sailing Towards a Sustainable Future. Over 3,000 participants joined the Run With Penyu 5.0, contributing to the festive atmosphere of the WOW 2025 Carnival.

As part of the Beach Clean Up (BCU) initiative, a cleanup was carried out at Teluk Ketapang Beach, involving 400 volunteers, including school students, parents, teachers, and local residents. The effort successfully removed over 300kg of waste, consisting mainly of plastic and assorted litter.

Through these initiatives, UMT delivered a strong message to the public about the importance of protecting, conserving, and valuing marine resources in our daily lives. These efforts also helped to promote UMT’s niche area in marine sciences and aquatic resources, reaffirming its role as a leading marine-focused university.

WOW 2025 was part of UMT’s social responsibility to foster greater appreciation for the marine environment among local communities and safeguard the ocean’s invaluable resources.

Together, let us hear the voice of the ocean.