Between the 25th of January and 5th of February, Dr. Ribbink travelled to France for several important meetings. Dr Ribbink has been newly appointed to the Steering Committee of the Global Forum for Oceans, Coasts and Islands (http://www.globaloceans.org/) which represents an alliance of leading ocean experts from governmental, non-governmental, international and intergovernmental sectors formed to advance the interests of oceans, coasts and islands. Associated with the Global Forum is the World Ocean Network. Between the 25th of January and the 5th of February, both the Global Forum for Oceans, Coasts and Islands and the World Ocean Network held major conferences in France. Dr. Ribbink was able to attend the 3rd World Ocean Network Conference, "Acting Together for the Future of the Blue Planet" which was hosted at Nausicaa, an aquarium in Bologne-sur-Mer. This meeting followed immediately on the heels of Global Forum meeting in Paris, with many participants attending both. |