The opening ceremony of the Ocean Pavilion, of which the Ankara University National Center for the Sea and Maritime Law (DEHUKAM) is a partner, was held in Antalya on 10 November 2026, the second day of the 31st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP31), following the Antalya Ocean Declaration Panel.

Following a group photograph of the Pavilion partners and guests, the ceremony commenced with a ribbon-cutting by Hon. Inia Seruiratu, COP31 Special Envoy for the Ocean.

The programme began with opening remarks by Dr Kilaparti Ramakrishna, Senior Advisor to the President and Director of Ocean and Climate Policy at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Dr Meenakshi Wadhwa, Director of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego, then welcomed participants on behalf of the Pavilion partners. Further remarks were delivered by John Kerry, the 68th United States Secretary of State and the first U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate; Antha Williams, Head of the Environment Program at Bloomberg Philanthropies; Minister Chris Bowen, COP31 President of Negotiations on behalf of Australia; and Hon. Inia Seruiratu, COP31 Special Envoy for the Ocean.

The ceremony was also attended by Fatma Varank, COP31 CEO and Deputy Minister of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change of Türkiye. Emphasising the importance of Türkiye’s climate diplomacy, Varank expressed her hope that the Ocean Pavilion would serve as a venue for productive discussions and events.

The opening ceremony concluded with a reception hosted by the Ocean Pavilion partners.

DEHUKAM extends its sincere thanks to all guests who attended the opening ceremony and looks forward to the Pavilion’s contribution to international cooperation and ocean conservation.