The Global Ocean Development Forum Exhibits Artworks with the Theme of “Healing Waters”

The Global Ocean Development Forum is hosted by the People’s Government of Shandong Province and the Ministry of Natural Resources of the People’s Republic of China, along with the China Ocean Development Foundation, a national public foundation established in December 2015 with the approval of the Ministry of Natural Resources.

The forum aims to:

• Bring together global forces for sustainable ocean development
• Facilitate exchanges among governments, enterprises, scholars, and international institutions
• Promote international cooperation in maritime affairs
• Enhance the global competitiveness of the marine industry
• Stimulate new productive forces through green development achievements

Past Edition (2024)

The first Global Ocean Development Forum was held in Qingdao from October 24–25, 2024, under the theme “Let’s Sea our Futures—Promoting Blue Partnerships for Growth and Sustainability.”

• Attendance: Over 1,700 distinguished guests
• Representation: 52 countries and regions worldwide
• Concurrent events:
  • East Asia Marine Expo
  • World’s Most Beautiful Bays Photography Exhibition
  • RoboCup Asia-Pacific (RCAP) 2024 Qingdao International Invitational Tournament

This Year’s Event (2025)

The 2025 Global Ocean Development Forum will take place September 1–3, 2025, at Qingdao Cosmopolitan Exposition, Shandong Province.

High-profile participants will include:

• Political leaders and officials from the United Nations and maritime agencies
• Leaders of international ocean-related organizations
• Renowned experts and scholars
• Technology entrepreneurs and industry leaders

They will discuss current trends, challenges, and opportunities in the ocean economy, with collaboration in areas such as marine technology, marine ecology, and the ocean economy.

Remarks from Organizers

ZHENG Wei, Executive Director of the Ocean Decade International Cooperation Center, explained:

“The Global Ocean Development Forum is an international event co-sponsored by the Shandong Provincial People’s Government and the Ministry of Natural Resources of the People’s Republic of China. It aims to promote practical cooperation and exchanges in the marine sector. In October 2024, the inaugural forum was successfully held in Qingdao, yielding a series of fruitful outcomes.

The 2025 Global Ocean Development Forum will be held from September 7–9 in Qingdao West Coast New Area. Themed on ‘Let’s Sea our Futures—Developing a Sustainable Marine Economy for a Thriving Ocean,’ we sincerely invite you to attend the forum.”

Art Exhibition: “Healing Waters”

Parallel to the main forum, an ocean-themed art exhibition will be held at the Lixian Art Museum, Shandong, from September 7–10, 2025.

The museum (山东省美术馆) is a nonprofit cultural institution under the Shandong Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism. Established in 1977 and relocated to a large building in 2013 near the Shandong Provincial Museum, it hosts a permanent collection of modern Chinese fine arts and temporary exhibitions.

This year’s program will include three paintings from Selva Ozelli’s “Healing Waters” series.

About the “Healing Waters” Series

The “Healing Waters” series (95 oil paintings) was created in 2023 for the Havre de Grace Maritime Museum, where it was displayed in a three-month exhibition.

The series reflects Ozelli’s desire to highlight rehabilitation of the Chesapeake Bay, the largest estuary in the United States, which outlets into the Atlantic Ocean.

• The Chesapeake Bay watershed spans 64,000 square miles across six states (New York, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia) and the District of Columbia.
• It is protected by the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement (2014, amended 2020).
• Despite protections, the Bay has long suffered from “dead zones” caused by nutrient pollution and algae blooms.

The Story of the Maryland Darter

The Maryland Darter (Etheostoma sellare) was first identified in 1912 by biologists Lewis Radcliffe and William Welsh in Swan Creek, a tributary of the Susquehanna River.

• Darter fish are small, slender freshwater fishes with about 100 species.
• They live in highly oxygenated streams, darting quickly about when disturbed.
• The Maryland Darter’s habitat was highly vulnerable to pollution and development runoff.
• Construction of the Conowingo Dam further contributed to its decline.

The last confirmed sighting was in 1988. The IUCN has classified the Maryland Darter as extinct, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (which listed it as endangered in 1967) has prepared a draft order to officially declare it extinct.

Artist’s Intention

With the “Healing Waters” series, Ozelli aims to:

• Draw attention to conservation efforts in Chesapeake Bay
• Highlight the extinction of the Maryland Darter
• Inspire global action to heal waters worldwide and protect aquatic life

“I wanted to draw attention to the nearly extinct darter fish, with the hope that global efforts are focused on healing all waters of our world to preserve aquatic life.”

By: Selva Ozelli