IMO announced that the World Maritime Day theme for 2018 will be “IMO 70: Our Heritage – Better Shipping for a Better Future”, celebrating the 70 years since the adoption of the Convention establishing the Organization.
This year’s theme provides the opportunity to take stock and look back, but also to look forward, addressing current and future challenges for maritime transport to maintain a continued and strengthened contribution towards sustainable growth for all.
To remind, the Geneva conference opened in February 1948 and on 6 March 1948 the Convention establishing the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organization (IMCO) was adopted. The name was changed in 1982 to International Maritime Organization (IMO).
A series of activities and events are planned to mark the 70 years, including:
- March 2018 – a ceremony to mark the date when the IMO Convention was adopted will be held at IMO Headquarters.
- 15 May 2018 – a high level forum will be held at IMO Headquarters to discuss the Organization’s history, its future challenges and role within the global trade in a changing world.
- 25 June 2018 – the annual Day of the Seafarer.
- Late September 2018 – World Maritime Day celebrated at IMO Headquarters and around the world.
In addition, during 2018 a photography contest will be held, while, in conjunction with the International Congress of Maritime Museums, a travelling exhibition will tour participating maritime museums.
The World Maritime Day parallel event will be hosted by the Government of the Republic of Poland in June 2018. Last year, it was held in Panama under the theme “Connecting ships, port and people“, on 1-3 October.
