Mombasa Ocean Festival
9th May 2025
Mombasa Ocean Festival - a truly cross-curricular and enlightening experience
Year 8 and 9 students had the privilege of attending the opening event of this year’s Mombasa Ocean Festival.
The objective of the festival, organised by Alliance Francaise de Mombasa, is to use the power of art and science to connect people and engage them in behaviour that positively impacts our environment. Several activities have been organised, including a day dedicated to students to launch the festival.
The event was an amazing learning adventure that blended science, art, culture, and environmental advocacy into one vibrant experience.
This year’s festival offered our learners an incredible opportunity to explore ocean life and marine conservation firsthand. The festival brought together a diverse group of professionals, including Amina Makori, Kenya’s only female marine geologist, who inspired young minds with her story of breaking boundaries in the world of ocean science. A powerful panel discussion titled “How to Become an Ocean Scientist?” gave learners the chance to hear motivational talks from a variety of professionals, encouraging them to envision futures in marine biology, oceanography, journalism, and beyond.
The educational scope of the trip was vast and dynamic. Subjects like Drama, Geography, Biology, Dance, Art, Photography, Film Making, and Foreign Languages came alive as students learnt about seagrass ecosystems, marine biodiversity, conservation and interacted with real-world researchers and scientists from KMFRI (Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute) and Wildlife Clubs of Kenya.
The screening of “If Turtles Could Talk” by Juma Adero brought the realities of marine conservation to life, and featured the Jumba Turtles Patrol team which, over the years, has become part of the Braeburn Mombasa community.
Art met science once again with the stunning underwater dance film “Bakelite” by Julie Gautier, a performance exploring human connection to the ocean depths and raising awareness about plastic pollution.
And there is more to come! The Plastic Odyssey, a 40-meter expedition ship dedicated to combating plastic pollution is set to dock in Mombasa this August, providing yet another wave of learning opportunities. https://plasticodyssey.org/en/
From spoken word to science labs, the Mombasa Ocean Festival was a celebration of interdisciplinary learning, creativity, and environmental stewardship. Our students came away not only more informed, but deeply inspired—to protect our oceans, explore new fields, and pursue their passions wherever the tide may take them.
Mme Mwangi
Students’ voice:
Hier matin nous sommes allés au Mombasa Ocean Festival au cinéma de Nyali. Pendant que nous y étions, nous avons visité l’exposition d’art qui présentait différentes œuvres d’art de différentes écoles, basées sur la vie marine.
Nous avons regardé deux films. Un film sur la protection des tortues et un autre sur le plastique.
