The Central Environmental Authority (CEA) has marked World Oceans Day 2026 with a powerful awareness campaign titled “A Letter to You, From the Ocean”, urging Sri Lankans to rethink their relationship with the sea and adopt sustainable habits to protect marine ecosystems.
In the message, written as if the ocean itself were speaking, the campaign highlights the growing threats of plastic pollution, coral reef decline, and rising sea temperatures.
“I want to live for thousands of more years, just for you. But I need your help,” the ocean’s letter reads, reminding the public that oceans provide more than half of the oxygen humans breathe.
The CEA stressed that beaches across Sri Lanka, from Hikkaduwa to Trincomalee, are increasingly burdened by plastic bottles, bags, and wrappers left behind by visitors, choking marine life and damaging coral reefs.
The campaign calls on citizens to “not just leave footprints, but leave beaches cleaner than they found them.”
The message underscores the urgency of reimagining human‑ocean relations, while it also urges communities to let go of destructive habits and embrace bold new ways of living in harmony with the ocean.
World Oceans Day 2026 is observed globally under the theme “Reimagine: Beyond the World We Know, A New Relationship with Ocean.”
The CEA’s initiative seeks to inspire Sri Lankans to protect their coastal heritage and ensure the ocean continues to thrive for generations to come. (Newswire)
