The Rio Botanical Garden celebrates World Oceans Day with a special forum on marine biodiversity

On World Oceans Day, celebrated on June 8, the Botanical Garden Museum hosts a special edition of the Biodiversity Forum dedicated to science, marine conservation, and the future of the oceans. With free programming throughout the day, the event will take place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and will brings together researchers, managers, communicators, and the general public for a day of learning, reflection, and connection with Brazil’s marine biodiversity.

In the afternoon, the event will be opened by Ricardo Gomes, president of Instituto Mar Urbano and a marine biologist with more than three decades of experience in science communication and ocean conservation, and by Sergio Besserman Vianna, president of the Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden Research Institute (JBRJ).

This will be followed by the panel “Opening Windows to the Ocean: Cooperation, Science and the Blue Economy,” which will discuss ways to strengthen marine conservation through the integration of research, innovation, and sustainable development. Participants include Leonardo Tavares Salgado, Director of Scientific Research at JBRJ; Sylvia Alqueres, a microbiologist at OceanPact specializing in biotechnological solutions for coastal environment restoration; and Carla Campos, scientific and technical advisor for the 2030 Agenda at Fiocruz and coordinator of One Health projects.

One of the highlights of the program will be the premiere screening of the documentary “Abrolhos: A Reef Through Time,” directed by Ricardo Gomes and produced by Instituto Mar Urbano, sponsored by OceanPact. The 15-minute short film follows the work of researchers who have monitored the Abrolhos Bank for more than two decades, regarded as the largest and most biodiverse coral reef ecosystem in the South Atlantic.

Following the screening, specialists will take part in the panel “The Challenges of Research and Conservation of Brazil’s Largest Coral Reef Complex,” moderated by Rodrigo L. Moura, Professor of Marine Biology at UFRJ and coordinator of the Long-Term Ecological Research Program (PELD Abrolhos). Panelists include Lélis A. Carlos Junior, professor at PUC-Rio and PhD in Ecology; Fernando C. Cardoso, researcher at PELD Abrolhos and PhD candidate in Ecology at UFRJ; and Patricia Bourguignon Soares, project manager at the Espírito Santo Foundation for Technology (FEST).

The Biodiversity Forum is coordinated by a council of experts from the Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden Research Institute (JBRJ) and promotes discussions on biodiversity conservation and essential environmental issues. The event will also be livestreamed on the JBRJ YouTube channel, with certificates of participation available for in-person attendees.

Service Information

Biodiversity Forum – World Oceans Day Special

Date: June 8, Monday
Time: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Venue: Botanical Garden Museum
Address: Rua Jardim Botânico, 1008 – Jardim Botânico, Rio de Janeiro
Free admission

Live streaming on the JBRJ YouTube channel

Program

10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
• Touch the Corals
• Marine Image Exhibition
• Virtual Reality Diving Experience
• Marine Animal Exhibition and Environmental Education Activities

3 p.m.
Panel 1 – Opening Windows to the Ocean: Cooperation, Science and the Blue Economy

3:45 p.m.
Screening of the documentary “Abrolhos: A Reef Through Time”

4 p.m.
Panel 2 – The Challenges of Research and Conservation of Brazil’s Largest Coral Reef Complex

Botanical Garden Museum
Visiting hours: Thursday to Tuesday (closed on Wednesdays) / 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (visitors may remain until 6 p.m.)
Access via Rua Jardim Botânico, 1008 – Jardim Botânico
Free admission