The International Aquarium Congress (IAC), the premiere event on the aquarium calendar, is held every four years and attracts the industry’s top professionals. This year the congress will be hosted in Cape Town, from 9 – 14 September, marking yet another African first and The Two Oceans Aquarium is proud to host this prestigious event.

According to Two Oceans Aquarium Curator and head of the programme committee, Michael Farquhar, the programme will highlight the importance of marine education in the aquarium community, husbandry advances, technical sessions, business communications, visitor experiences, studies and institute conservation projects amongst an array of excitingly diverse and interesting topics.

The IAC will expose new audiences to various marine and biodiversity issues. For the first time the event is focused on the youth and education around aquariums, as well as new developments in research, technology, management and other industry issues.

The Two Oceans Aquarium has a proud tradition as a public education facility, as well as an environmental education facility for schools.

The Two Oceans Aquarium Youth Symposium has been rescheduled to Sunday 19 August 2012. Kids are given the opportunity to get involved by either making a video, participating in live discussions or attending the first day of the event.

All interested high school and university students will be invited to present a speech of no more than five minutes, in which they propose the changes they would like aquarium authorities from across the globe to implement. These need to focus on engendering positive and lasting impacts on our marine ecosystems. A panel of selected guests and members of the symposium will adjudicate. All entries must be submitted by midday 13 August 2012.

For the opening day, organisers have booked a large auditorium at the Cape Town International Convention Centre in order to accommodate an extra 500 invited high school, university and college students from across South Africa. Entry to the first day of the event is free, including the symposium, but entrants must please remember to preregister.

The aim is to expose this school-related audience to the role that aquariums play in the conservation of our oceans and to involve them in discussions on some of the key issues regarding education programmes in such facilities.

Michael discusses the programme in the video below:

If you are interested in attending the full 2012 IAC, please register as a delegate on the 2012 IAC website. Full fees apply.

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