Dear MARMAM Subscribers, We are delighted to share our new podcast – If Oceans Could Speak. This podcast listens to stories from people who have shared their life with the sea around them, and this premiere series focuses on the Arctic Ocean. Each week, conversations explore a different perspective of the Arctic Ocean; from the adventures of Thomas Wunderlich, Captain of the icebreaker ‘Polarstern’; to the musical journey of award-winning composer Lera Auerbach, which led to her acclaimed 4th symphony ‘ARCTICA’; and to diversity and inclusion influencers, such as Women in the Arctic: Plan A Co-founder Gosia Smieszek and Kimberly Aiken on her own journey and trailblazers in the Polar Regions. Guests reflect on issues surrounding climate change, sustainability, and equality, and share their hopes and concerns for the Arctic’s future. By viewing the Arctic Ocean through this human lens, If Oceans Could Speak hopes to raise awareness of our collective connection to this frozen ocean. In our next episode, released on the 20th October, we are joined by Dr Hannah Cubaynes from the British Antarctic Survey and WWF and Dr Kim Goetz from NOAA in the United States. Hannah and Kim are marine mammal biologists who use images from planes, drones, and satellites to spy on the whales and walrus below. Together we discuss how exactly you spot a whale from space and the multitude of challenges facing Arctic wildlife today. Kim recounts her experience “on the ground” with the isolated and endangered Beluga population at Cook Inlet, Alaska. In contrast, Hannah reveals the unique connection to these animals she gains through the images on her screen. This podcast is an output from The EU4Ocean Coalition for Ocean Literacy. Supported by the European Commission, this bottom-up, inclusive initiative aims at uniting the voices of Europeans to make the ocean a concern of everyone. Find out more at www.eu-oceanliteracy.eu. To listen or view episode transcripts, just visit the podcast webpage <https://if-oceans-could-speak.buzzsprout.com/>, or tune in on your usual listening platform e.g. spotify <https://open.spotify.com/show/0kzToAtyPIydllXQHh0LSj> . Best wishes Penny Clarke If Oceans Could Speak Production Team