KEELUNG – The opening ceremony of World Oceans Day kicked off at the National Museum of Marine Science and Technology in the city of Keelung in Taiwan on Sunday morning with carnival performance, algae science exhibition, and food fair. The World Oceans Days is an annual event officially recognized by the United… Nations in 2008 to honor the world’s oceans, celebrate the products the ocean provides, and also a time to apprecieate its own intrinsic value.

One of the highlight of the event was the showcase of algae science and biotechnology exhibition, namely “Meet the Algae”, which presented varieties of living marine macroalgae (seaweeds), microalgae, and phytoplanktons.
At the entrance of the exhibition, visitor received a free card with their own astronomical sign where each sign was represented by a type of alga. Visitors then scanned their own card in front of a monitor where the screen subsequently displayed their self-portrait along with the type of alga.



The visit to the exhibition was started with an activity called “alga hunters”, or a teaching to the people on “hunting” different types of algae found locally at the coastal line of Taiwan. A free gift was given to visitors at the end of the exhibition after they have collected all the stamps during the algae hunt.

“Meet the Algae” exhibition also displayed commercially available algae products such as health supplements, to name a few, “Spirulina”, “Fucoidan”, etc.
In addition, the exhibition explained the importance of algae biotechnology in terms of carbon dioxide fixation, ocean and nutrient remediation, as well as sustainable biofuel production.

The “Meet the Algae” exhibition starts from 8th of June to the 5th of September, 2014. Entrance is free.
For more information about the exhibition, kindly visit Taiwan’s National Museum of Marine Science and Technology official website at: http://www.nmmst.gov.tw/
Kian, Algae Asia News Exclusive News