IPMEN 2012 Chile

The International Pacific Marine Educators Network (IPMEN) will hold its fourth biennial conference in Chile in November 2012. The theme for IPMEN 2012 is “Un Gran Océano, Muchos Sueños” (One Big Ocean, Many Dreams), with a focus on achieving sustainability in the Pacific via education centred on the ocean and Ocean Literacy. Our motivation is the establishment of marine education in Chile as a case study for other Latin American nations. There will be two parts to the conference.

First up, IPMEN 2012 conference delegates will assemble in Santiago, Chile on Sunday 25th November. The following two days, Monday 26th and Tuesday 27th, will be based at a central Santiago hotel and will feature:

- keynote speakers and forums with Chilean Government officials;

- workshops (Ocean Education Fair) for 200 local Chilean teachers; and,

- a full day of paper presentations by conference delegates.

The second part of the conference will begin on Wednesday 28th November when we fly south to start our six day Northern Patagonian Field Session. After firstly flying to Balmaceda we will travel by bus to Coyhaique where we will meet with local marine practitioners and learn about the effect of aquaculture and natural stressors upon Chilean fjords and the development of sustainable practices associated with fjord ecosystems. Conference delegates will then travel south on Carretera Austral (Ruta 7) to Caleta Tortel. This small coastal village is surrounded by exuberant landscape and is situated between the two major ice fields of the southern hemisphere. As this remote fishing village is built on rocky hills wooden boardwalks replace streets.

The bus trip to Caleta Tortel and two days in this remote village offer delegates an ideal format for a more informal approach to developing the conference theme, network building and the chance to engage with the local community. On Sunday 2nd December we will begin to wend our way home by heading back to Coyhaique by bus then flying from Balmaceda back to Santiago on Monday 3rd (we will arrive in Santiago late in the afternoon).