A blog by Autone Mululuma, High Seas Youth Ambassador, Zambia
I bet you would think that if you were someone who had never experienced war, you could never speak peace into broken lands. Likewise, as someone who had never seen or felt the ocean, I had never imagined that I would one day talk about it, let alone advocate for its protection. But here I am, and I’ve loved it ever since!
Growing up in a landlocked country has its perks and downsides, but this year, I got to experience something different, how deeply connected we really are to one another and to nature. It made me realize that there is so much beyond the shore that is linked to what happens on land.
Throughout my journey as a High Seas Youth Ambassador, it has been an endless journey of learning and overcoming different challenges that come with the task. One such challenge has been changing the narrative that landlocked countries have no connection to the ocean. One might think this has been achieved as my campaign nears its close, but quite the contrary – there’s still a long way to go. However, it is worthwhile knowing that many young people, fellow students, lecturers, and schools who supported and volunteered to be part of my campaign have given the ocean a chance.
My team and I met with high-ranking government officials to share the relevance of the Treaty’s ratification and its implications for Zambia. While this was a big win, I take even greater pride in the events that brought people together for a common cause, such as the Paint for the Ocean event, which aimed to send messages of ocean protection through art, and the screening of Sir David Attenborough’s Ocean, which vividly and emotionally depicted the injustices done to our oceans and the actions needed to change that.
Another meaningful moment was a school outreach at my former school. Though it didn’t strike me at the time, I was deeply moved by the enthusiasm and awareness shown by these brilliant young minds toward an issue so new and uncommon, yet so deserving of their attention and action.
Since the campaign’s launch in May this year, I have collaborated with numerous youth groups and organizations, to whom I give massive credit for its successes, such as ActionAid Zambia’s Global Platform, Looking at Climate Action (LACA), the University of Zambia Natural Resources Society (UNZANARSO), and Alliance Française de Lusaka, just to name a few, with great support from the teams at the High Seas Alliance and EarthEcho International. Without a doubt, I am confident that while Zambia was not among the sixty countries that led to the High Seas Treaty’s ratification, a strong mark has been made on how relevant it truly is. Over 1,000 people have been engaged, showing a clear willingness to propel ocean action beyond this campaign.
Personally, the High Seas Youth Ambassador Program has been a launchpad for charting my career in biodiversity and ecosystem conservation. Through this cause, I have had the opportunity to engage with remarkable work by my lecturers and professionals whom I might never have met had it not been for my involvement with the High Seas Treaty. I was privileged to speak alongside Zandile Ndhlovu and other ocean leaders during the June edition and 32nd episode of the Oppenheimer Generations Research & Conservation Tipping Points Webinar Series. It was exciting to share the landlocked perspective of ocean protection, particularly the role that youth play in driving ocean sustainability.
In the end, though I hope that end is far from near, I’m grateful to have been part of this milestone: the ratification of the High Seas Treaty, which will officially enter into force on January 17, 2026. This moment marks a major step forward and brings hope for generations to come, for both humanity and nature.