The Second Opening Ceremony and Partner Reception of the Ocean Pavilion was held on 10 November 2026 at 17:20 at the Ocean Pavilion. The ceremony brought together prominent international figures, including John Kerry, the 68th U.S. Secretary of State and the first-ever U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate; Antha Williams, Head of the Environment Program at Bloomberg Philanthropies; Ambassador A. Berris Ekinci, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye; and Hon. Inia Seruiratu, COP31 Special Envoy for the Ocean.
The program, opened and facilitated by Dr. Kilaparti Ramakrishna, included a group photograph with Ocean Pavilion partners and a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The ribbon-cutting ceremony was led by Hon. Inia Seruiratu, COP31 Special Envoy for the Ocean.
During the special remarks session, Prof. Dr. Meenakshi Wadhwa, Director of Scripps Institution of Oceanography, welcomed the participants on behalf of the Ocean Pavilion partners. John Kerry, the 68th U.S. Secretary of State and the first-ever U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, highlighted the role and significance of the Ocean Pavilion within international climate conferences. Antha Williams, Head of the Environment Program at Bloomberg Philanthropies, underscored the importance of supporting the Ocean Pavilion and its role as a platform for advancing ocean-related climate action.
Hon. Chris Bowen, Australia’s Minister for Climate Change and Energy and President of Negotiations for COP31, delivered remarks on behalf of Australia, followed by the closing remarks of Hon. Inia Seruiratu, COP31 Special Envoy for the Ocean. Ambassador A. Berris Ekinci, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye, also addressed the participants on behalf of Türkiye.
The opening ceremony and reception provided an important opportunity to highlight the central role of the ocean in addressing climate change, strengthen cooperation among countries and stakeholders, and further reinforce the Ocean Pavilion as a platform for dialogue and collaboration at the intersection of science, policy, and international diplomacy.
