Tuesday, January 15, 2013

"World Ocean Day 2012" by Susanna Ivy


World Ocean Day 2012
by Susanna Ivy



Description
World Oceans Day in celebrated on 8 June each year. On this day, people around the planet celebrate and honor the body of water which links us all, for what it provides humans and what it represents. It is an opportunity to learn more about our ocean and take action to help conserve it. Be a part of this growing global celebration! Further information can be found on the World Oceans Day website and on Wikipedia.
This book tells in a short story in various languages how the author fell in love with the ocean and why it is important to take action and make a difference. Susanna Ivy wants to inspire everyone, especially the youth, to get out there and help protect the beautiful underwater world.



Excerpt
World Oceans Day was officially recognized by the United Nations in 2008. Unofficially it was already declared by Canada in 1992.
Mainly it is a day to remember and honor the ocean in the hope that our actions as individuals will help maintain its health.
The aim of World Oceans Day is to challenge participants to view ocean protection as a way of life, with a special emphasis around individual potential for wellness. It is such a large ecosystem and the problems seem so overwhelming. But it is especially important that we motivate the youth of the world to start a conscious awareness of the value of the oceans. The oceans are a complex ecosystem, they are all connected, connected to the atmosphere and if the ocean dies; so shall we. How can we instill the value of this life's blood within our children? They should learn how each species has its entitlement for existence and its role in the bigger part.


Review




By Lynda Dickson
This book is actually a short nonfiction narrative in six languages: English, German, Spanish, French, Norwegian, and Bosnian. Its aim is to help spread the word about World Oceans Day all around the globe.
Susanna briefly describes her experiences growing up in East Germany and being taught a love of nature by her grandfather. As an adult, she was finally able to leave East Germany and fulfill her dream of travelling. She studied film in New Zealand and worked as a photographer. During a holiday to Fiji, Susanna learned to scuba dive and her love of the ocean was born.
Susanna closes her narration by giving the reader some practical ideas of how we can all help in the conservation of one of the Earth's greatest assets, the ocean.

It is apparent from the writing, that English in not the author's native language. Whilst this adds to the charm and allows us to experience Susanna's true voice, this book could still do with a professional edit.
Susanna paints pictures with her words. I just wish she would have included some of her photographs as well.

About the Author
Susanna Ivy grew up in East Berlin, Germany, behind the wall. She obtained a degree in Graphic Design and an MA in Cultural Studies and Art History. She is a passionate photographer and traveler. She loves scuba diving all over the world. But her biggest love is for the animals. That is why she tries to inspire and educate people around the world to protect them for future generations. At the moment, she works as a freelance photographer, designer and author.
So far, Susanna has travelled to 30 countries and has taken thousands of photos. In 2010 she won an international competition and was able to fulfill her childhood dream and travel to the Galapagos Islands. The result of that trip was her photographic essay, Galapagos Dreams: A Photo Journey. In her capacity as graphic artist, Susanna has designed the covers of numerous books. These can be seen in her book Book Cover: Selected.

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