2026 National Ocean Education Tour Launches: Exhibition at National Library's 4th Floor Reading Area from Now Until August 2

The 'Ocean Education: Blue Voyage' has arrived in Taichung and is now on display at the 4th-floor reading area of the National Public Information Library until August 2. In response to World Oceans Day on June 8, promoting ocean care and sustainable marine concepts, the Ministry of Education has designated the week of World Oceans Day as 'Ocean Education Week' since 2015 (104th year), encouraging schools to strengthen ocean-related courses or activities during this week. This initiative continuously promotes nationwide ocean education, develops marine sports, tourism, and recreational activities, and enhances public awareness of connecting with and loving the ocean.

In 2025 (114th year), the Ministry of Education held the third Ocean Science Picture Book Creation Contest, centered on the theme of 'Sustainable Oceans.' To enhance the application of marine scientific knowledge in daily life and inspire participation and learning through ocean experiences and creative practices among teachers and students at all levels, the contest underwent three rounds of evaluation—preliminary, semi-final, and final—selecting a total of 68 award-winning works.

The winning entries this year reflect diverse perspectives from creators of different ages and backgrounds. The content covers issues such as marine biological resources and global marine waste, incorporating local observations and personal life experiences to demonstrate teachers' and students' concern for and practical achievements in sustainable ocean development.

For example, the elementary school group's top prize work, 'Put Down That Little Clam,' draws inspiration from the summer activity of 'digging for sand worms' on the beaches of Kinmen, conveying the crisis of overfishing marine resources. The junior high school group's top prize, 'Best Friends of the Sea,' portrays the experiences of traditional fishermen in Nangan, Matsu, at sea from the perspective of friendship, illustrating fishermen's understanding of and dependence on the ocean, as well as their gratitude and reverence for the sea. The senior high school group's top prize, 'Teacher Turtle’s Attendance Book,' conveys the concept of 'letting small fish grow' through storytelling, aiming to maintain marine ecological balance and achieve coexistence and mutual benefit between humans and fish. The university-level group's top prize, 'The Journey of a Bag of Trash,' uses soft illustrations and concise text to describe how seemingly insignificant trash becomes the most dangerous trap in the ocean, prompting readers to reflect on the consequences of their daily actions. The teacher group's top prize, 'Who Is the Most Beautiful?,' begins with a child's innocent question and uses playful, childlike expressions to convey how those 'beautiful' decorations actually represent marine pollution caused by garbage.

All outstanding winning picture books from this edition are available on the '2026 Ocean Education Week Special Zone' of the Taiwan Ocean Education Center website at National Taiwan Ocean University. Visitors are welcome to browse online.

To allow more teachers, students, and the public to discover and appreciate excellent ocean-themed picture books and increase public interest in ocean exploration, this year's national touring promotion is themed 'Ocean Education: Blue Voyage.' Carrying the emotional depth of ocean poetry, the creativity of science picture books, and the real-life stories of education advocates, this tour invites the public to embark on a journey of ocean education—experiencing the ocean’s diverse forms and profound charm through reading, art, and knowledge. Let the stories of the ocean travel through every city.