September 16, 2025, Weston, CT – The North American Marine Environment Protection Association (NAMEPA) is thrilled to announce that two grand prize winners and 10 finalists have been selected for the 2026 Our Ocean, Our Obligation, Our Opportunity calendar art contest. This annual competition is sponsored by NAMEPA in partnership with the United States Coast Guard (USCG) and the Inter-American Committee on Ports of the Organization of American States (CIP-OAS). Each year, students in grades K-12 throughout the Americas are invited to create original artwork that reflects the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) World Maritime Day theme. A bilingual 2026 calendar displaying the winning entries will be produced in both English and Spanish.
Students were asked to submit an original poster that creatively depicts the relationship between humans and the ocean in the context of preserving the marine environment. Students were asked to address one or more of the topics below:
- Our Ocean: A World of Diversity: Illustrate the rich biodiversity of the ocean, showcasing various species and ecosystems, emphasizing that the ocean is home to countless life forms that must be protected.
- Our Obligation: Protecting Marine Life: Create artwork that depicts actions we can take to protect marine life, such as reducing plastic use, supporting sustainable fishing, or creating marine protected areas.
- Our Opportunity: Sustainable Solutions: Visualize innovative solutions for ocean conservation, such as clean energy (e.g., wind, solar), sustainable aquaculture, or ocean clean-up initiatives, showcasing how we can create positive change.
- MARPOL: Illustrate how MARPOL impacts the ocean by preventing oil spills, practicing effective waste management on ships, and by protecting marine biodiversity from pollution.
- Ocean Guardians: Community Action: Depict local communities engaged in ocean conservation efforts, such as beach clean-ups, education programs, or advocacy for marine protection policies.
- Celebrating Marine Culture and Heritage: Depict how different cultures around the world celebrate and protect the ocean, showcasing traditional practices that honor marine life and ecosystems.
The winning artwork will be featured on NAMEPA, USCG, and CIP-OAS websites, and will be displayed at the NAMEPA Annual Conference and Awards Dinner. Finalists will receive a certificate and a calendar with the artwork from all 12 winners. Two grand-prize winning artists (one from each of the grade brackets) will receive, in addition to the certificate and calendar, a cash prize and a USCG prize package.
We extend our sincere appreciation to our esteemed partners, the United States Coast Guard, and the Inter-American Committee on Ports of the Organization of the American States, for their invaluable support in making this contest possible, and a big thank you to our panel of judges for reviewing each submission.
To view the winning Our Ocean, Our Obligation, Our Opportunity, visit Art Contest – NAMEPA or to request physical copies, email education@namepa.net