At the Ocean Forum at boot Düsseldorf 2026, I represented The Fair Winds Collective on the World Pixel Water Stage. Surrounded by scientists, researchers, and NGO leaders from across Europe and beyond — people who dedicate their lives to understanding, protecting, and restoring our ocean — being part of this exchange was truly empowering.
A Powerful Collective of Voices
The Forum opened with a video message from Vidar Helgesen, Executive Secretary of IOC-UNESCO, who spoke about the urgency of global cooperation for ocean sustainability. And a direct message from Dr. Sylvia Earle, founder of Mission Blue, pointing out, that there is hope, if we act in the next 5 years for the health ocean.
Speakers from a wide range of organizations shared insights on topics such as citizen science, emission free sailing, marine biodiversity, algae innovation, coral reef restoration, deep-sea conservation, and the challenge of turning scientific knowledge into real-world action. What stood out most was the shared understanding that no single discipline or organization can solve the ocean crisis alone.
The Forum speakers:
- Frank Schweikert
German Ocean Foundation - Dominik Kulczynski
NGO Shipbreaking Platform - Alica Torkov
Senckenberg Ocean Species Alliance - Ayşegül Çil
Marine Life Conservation Society - Felix Ivo Roßbach
MareMundi - Clara Wedmore von Baintner
EU4Algae - Matthieu Baillorge
Under the Pole - Claudia Zenkert
SEETREE - Joanna Staneva & Luciana Villa Castrillón
Helmholtz Centre Hereon - Arianna Liconti
OutBe - Francesca Trotman
Love The Oceans - Peggy Engelmann
The Fair Winds Collective - Frank Schweikert
German Ocean Foundation
Why Emission-Free Sailing Matters
On stage, I spoke about emission-free sailing and the partners of Fair Winds Collective. A future, which already exists. Sailing with the wind reduces emissions, avoids underwater noise, and minimizes disturbance to marine life.
For The Fair Winds Collective, sailing emission free is more than a method of transport and travel. It is a statement for the ocean. It shows that sailing carho, exploration, education, research, and community-building can happen without harming the ocean we depend on. Moving with natural forces instead of overpowering them changes how we relate to the sea — and how the sea experiences us.
Connecting to the UN Ocean Decade
The UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021–2030) provides a global framework. It calls for collaboration between science, policy, innovation, and civil society, and it recognizes that grassroots initiatives and ethical practices are essential alongside large research programmes.
Climate change, pollution, biodiversity loss, and overuse of marine resources are interconnected challenges. The Ocean Decade reminds us that solutions must be equally interconnected — linking high-level science with everyday actions.
For me, the Ocean Decade validates what we live and practice at The Fair Winds Collective every day: protecting the ocean by choosing how we move through it.
Moving Forward
Being part of the Ocean Forum added our voice as Fair Winds Collective to a much larger chorus — one that is growing stronger, clearer, and more determined. This contribution belongs to everyone who supports sustainable ocean protection practices and to those who believe that change is possible.
Thank you for being part of this journey.
Join the Journey with your company or class
If you’d like to book a workshop, collaborate, or bring this project to your community, I’d love to hear from you.
Follow our journey on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn, and watch as these flags —and the voices behind them – set sail.
Together, we rock. 🌏💙
2026-01-18, Peggy Engelmann
#PeggyMerkur 