Oceans are a very important part of our ecosystem . Life on our planet began in the oceans and it is therefore imperative that we keep it clean to ensure nature?s balance.

A great initiative in this regard is the ?Volvo Ocean Race? . This year , Abu Dhabi ( UAE ) teamed up with ?Volvo Ocean Race? and brought its ?Keep the Oceans Clean? initiative to our country , UAE . This was a fortnight long event from 31^st Dec?11 to 14^th Jan?2012 and brought together green citizens from across the country . As an eco-warrior and a TUNZA country representative I showed my solidarity by participating actively in this event .

?Keep the Oceans Clean? is a global campaign that encourages action against ocean pollution threatening sea-life, and involves a series of free community art projects which was hosted in Abu Dhabi during the duration of this event. Central to this initiative was a ?Skeleton Sea?s Albatross Exhibitionist? – an imposing 5?5? sculpture created from rubbish washed up on the beaches. An educational film was shown which depicted the compelling story of the thousands of albatross killed each year by mistaking rubbish for food. This was screened at a huge dome which I visited and viewed the film alongwith several other like minded conservationists.

I was a part of several beach clean-up activities which was organized by the Abu Dhabi government and it involved several schools. The rubbish collected was used to build the imposing Abu Dhabi Skeleton Sea sculpture.

Several sailing boats were docked at the marina and I sailed in them along with other children . This gave us an insight into the thrills of sailing and also appreciate the rich maritime history of the UAE.

I shared my experiences with my school mates and also within my community . This was an unique experience for me in being a part of the global ocean conservation initiative.

This event has now sailed onto China which is the next leg of its global journey.