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Yesterday, leaders, experts and students gathered at the Biltmore for the Blue Economy's 2nd Climate Resilience Forum, to discuss sustainable ocean practices, and what the country has been doing to enhance climate resilience within coastal communities.

But the discussions and dispersion of knowledge didn't stop there. Instead the ministry switched things up with an open day fair at the Fisheries Department. Here's what the Blue Economy director shared with us about today's events.

Felicia Cruz, Director of Blue Economy
"Today we are celebrating our second Blue Economy Climate Resilience Fair it's a part of a grand event that our ministry is spearheading. Yesterday we had the blue economy climate resilience forum and really todays event is a testament of all the NGO community the people in academia and in conservation who have really contributed to ensuring that we have a more climate resilient Belize and a coast area that is fully protected from any impacts of climate change and really this platform here is to showcase that knowledge to different students and to different communities who we have invited to join us here today."

We also browsed the booths on display and learned more about the importance of these partnerships within the Blue Economy industry.

Vicky Coc, Executive Secretary, Hol Chan Marine Reserve
"So welcome to our booth we are here present at the second annual Blue Economy climate resilience forum and fair and today we brought a little bit of information from our reserve so as you know Hol Chan Marine Reserve is located in Ambergris Caye we were originally founded in 1987 as a community effort to avoid overfishing. Over the years it has now grown to 8 zones including no take zones in the island."

"We are proud to say that we are the number one visited marine reserve in Belize so we have hundreds of thousands of visitors yearly therefore we believe it is important for us to educate the public on the work that we do. We do not only do the monitoring and the management of the reserve but we also have other programs like we spearhead the sea turtle nesting program in Ambergris Caye."

Reena Usher Ordonez, Member, Belize Women in Seaweed Farmers Association
"Today we have our seaweed products our dried seaweed products that comes from the farm we have copper ficus and the Ikooma and we also have member products so we have different products from our members in the association. I have my products here hair care and skincare products. We have the capsules that you drink, we have repellent and we also have other hair care products from other members in the association."

"I would advise people to try out seaweed products because it is a natural type of product you can use without the chemicals and stuff so it helps with your hair and skin internally it also helps to regulate your metabolism."

"It helps with hormonal imbalances it helps with joint pain. So it has 92 of the vitamins and nutrients that your body needs so seaweed is a golden weed."

So how does the forum tie into World Oceans Day celebrated on the 8th of June? Blue Economy CEO, Kennedy Carillo explained.

Kennedy Carillo, CEO, Blue Economy
"It is all linked. We decided to have all of these different events that are related to the ocean space into one forum. And so last week we had our blue economy Gala where we had the opportunity once again to highlight the important work of the stake holders that are involved in the work of the Blue economy. We recognize that the Blue economy is not just one ministry it is comprised of a multi-sectorial entity that involves all partners and both governmental and non governmental and most importantly the community and the fishers that are involved."