• Isla del Coco is the 10th district of the central canton of the Province of Puntarenas
  • The Pacific Marine Park was the venue for this great celebration.

With the presence of 800 children from Puntarenas, the Cocos Marine Conservation Area and the Pacific Marine Park celebrated the 40th Anniversary of Cocos Island National Park.

“We want that through this activity, children learn to identify Cocos Island as part of Puntarenas and the importance of protecting it even if it is far from the continent,” said Geiner Golfin, Park Ranger and Administrator of the Seamounts Marine Management Area.

Cocos Island was declared a National Park on June 22, 1978, by former President Rodrigo Carazo Odio.  It is a site that houses a unique and exceptional biodiversity that conserves its sea as it did 200 years ago.

The activity was aimed at children from first to third grade of schools of the islands of the Gulf of Puntarenas, the central canton of Puntarenas, and the community of Chomes, to generate knowledge about Cocos Island and raise awareness about the protection and conservation of marine resources.

For Alejandra Villalobos, Executive Director of Friends of Cocos Island Foundation (Faico), “supporting this type of initiative represents a great opportunity to raise awareness in a generation as valuable as children. Cocos Island is a site of global importance, and children must learn who cares for it and what kind of life is present there. FAICO is a facilitator and implementer of innovative initiatives with an environmental and social impact in partnership with the Government of Costa Rica and the civil society.”

As part of the activities, a concert was held with the Maromero group, together with a drawing contest among participating schools under the motto “Cocos Island: 40 years protecting marine life” as well as talks and educational workshops.

This initiative had the support of private companies, public institutions, academia, and non-governmental organizations.

DATA SHEET

This activity was sponsored by SC Johnson de Centroamérica, in coordination and support of the management team of the Pacific Marine Park, the Cocos Marine Conservation Area, Friends of Cocos Island (Faico), Misión Tiburón Conservation Association, CIMAR Research Center in Marine Sciences and Limnology of the UCR, Tempisque Conservation Area, National Marine-Coastal Sciences Station (ECMAR) of Universidad Nacional, Ministry of Public Education, Fire Department of Costa Rica, Jade and Pre-Columbian Art Museum, Police Department, Acueductos y Alcantarillados, Grupo Maromero, Artist Carlos Hiller, Cocos Tours, Recope, Puntarenas Chamber of Tourism, Fundación Mundo Azul, Conatramar, Okeanos Aggressor, Undersea Hunter Group, NINJA productions, Marviva, Jiménez & Tanzi, Cosecha Dorada, Naviera Tambor, Hotel Andrea, Coca Cola & FEMSA.