June 8 2012 WOD SAVE THE DATE FLIER 

June 8, 2012, 1-5pm

Location:  Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) 

The Coastal America Partnership, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History (NMNH), the National Geographic Society and the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation are producing a host of exciting activities to celebrate World Oceans Day 2012. With the goal of “Inspiring Ocean Stewardship through Art, Photography and Film,” there will be special showings at NMNH of several new, short videos about marine protected areas, illustrating why these exceptional places matter to everyone.

Throughout the afternoon, ocean experts from various federal agencies will be on hand in the NMNH Sant Ocean Hall to interact with museum visitors. A special presentation, “Drawing Inspiration from the Sea” with cartoonist Jim Toomey will be fun for children and adults. After Jim explains how he gets ideas for his humorous cartoon about a shark named Sherman and his pals in the lagoon, everyone will be invited to help him create 4 giant murals, each depicting a different ocean ecosystem. Special assistants for this effort will include the winners of this year’s Coastal America Student Ocean Art Contest. And in recognition of this year’s World Oceans Day theme, “Youth, the Next Wave of Change,” as well as Capitol Hill Ocean Week’s theme of “One Nation, Shaped by the Sea,” a panel of student ocean activists will discuss their efforts to help get the message out that we all need to help protect the ocean. The students will be joined by Sylvia Earle, renowned oceanographer and National Geographic Society’s “Explorer-in- Residence.” Other fun activities are in the works; please check www.coastalamerica.gov for updates