Join Our Storytelling Campaign: "Share Your Marine Turtle Conservation Story"

The IOSEA Marine Turtle MOU Secretariat is pleased to announce the launch of “Share Your Marine Turtle Conservation Story”, a storytelling campaign marking the 25th anniversary of the IOSEA Marine Turtle MOU.

25 Years of Collaboration for the Conservation of Marine Turtles

Have you worked—or are you currently working—with an NGO, research programme, local community, or government agency dedicated to the conservation of marine turtles and their habitats in the Indian Ocean and South-East Asia (IOSEA) region? If so, we would love to hear your story.

Since entering into force on 1 September 2001, the IOSEA Marine Turtle MOU has brought together governments, researchers, NGOs and local communities across the Indian Ocean and South-East Asia in a shared mission: the conservation and management of marine turtles and their habitats. 

This year, the MOU celebrates its 25th anniversary and as we mark this milestone, we want to hear from you. Whether you have helped protect a nesting beach, witnessed hatchlings you tagged come back many years later to reproduce, or supported marine turtle conservation in any other way, your story is part of this collective effort.

As we celebrate 25 years of the IOSEA Marine Turtle MOU, we want to showcase the people, initiatives and communities that have contributed to marine turtle conservation across the region, while inspiring future generations to continue this important work.

Share your experience with us and help us build a region-wide collection of stories that showcases 25 years of marine turtle conservation!

What can be shared?

We welcome contributions in text, image or video formats.

What we are looking for:

We want to hear from the people behind marine turtle conservation across the Indian Ocean and South-East Asia region. Whether you are a researcher, policymaker, community leader, ranger, volunteer, educator, or conservation practitioner, your experiences are part of a much larger story.

We seek stories of conservation achievements, challenges, and memorable moments that have shaped your work. Perhaps you have patrolled nesting beaches at dawn, monitored turtle populations over many years, inspired local communities to protect nesting sites, advocated for stronger legislation, restored critical habitats, or witnessed the recovery of a threatened population. We are especially interested in stories from the last 25 years that show change, impact, and hope: stories that demonstrate how small-scale actions and collective efforts are making a difference.

Need inspiration?

If you’re not sure where to begin, consider any of these questions:

• What turtle conservation success from your country or region would you like the world to know about?

• What makes your marine turtle conservation work special?

• What are you most proud of in your conservation work?

• How has your beach or nesting site changed over the years? ("Then and Now" photographs especially welcome!)

• What do you hope marine turtle conservation will look like in the next 25 years?

• Do you have a message for the next generation of marine turtle conservationists?

What we're NOT looking for:

This campaign is about stories, not technical reporting. We are not looking for academic papers, scientific reports, project summaries, or photographs without a story behind them. That said, you are very welcome to include links to more in-depth resources or publications within your submission.

How to submit a story

1. Read the guidelines first. Before preparing your submission, please read our submission guidelines carefully. Submissions that do not meet the criteria will not be accepted.

2. Prepare your submission. We strongly recommend preparing your story before filling in the form. Have your text, images, or video ready, along with the title of your story. Please also provide any relevant photo, video or content credits that should be acknowledged if we promote your story. In addition, include any social media handles for your organization. 

3. Fill in the Submission Form. When you are ready, complete the form and attach your story. The form will only accept submissions as file attachments. Submissions must be in English; if your material is in another language, we encourage you to use an AI translation tool before submitting. 

4. We will review your submission. The Secretariat will review all submissions and may reach out to you for clarifications or additional information if needed. 

5. Your story goes live. All submissions that meet the criteria will be featured on our online Story Map and shared across our social media channels.

Submission deadlines:

Contact Info

If you have any questions about the Storytelling Campaign or need help with your submission, do not hesitate to reach out at [email protected].