Solomon Airlines partners with tourism stakeholders and local schools in Coastal Cleanup effort

Solomon Airlines, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Tourism Solomons, Travel Solomons, St. Johns School, Tanagai Community High School, Dive Munda, and Solomon Islands Scout Association joined forces today to help clean up Solomon Islands coastlines.

The collaborative effort on Saturday 18th September supported the 2021 Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup™, a campaign that began more than 30 years ago when communities around the world rallied together with the common goal of collecting and documenting the trash littering their coastlines.

Today more than 100 countries come together each year to participate.  In Solomon Islands this year’s coastal clean-ups took place concurrently in both Munda and in Honiara.

In Honiara, some 70 volunteers collected debris over a one-kilometre stretch of coastline from Kakabona, Eden Bay to Lela Beach, the area also part of the route for the recently announced ‘Solomon Airlines Peace Marathon’ to take place on 23 October 2021.  

In Munda, 8 local youth joined 4 staff from dive specialist company Dive Munda to clean up along the Munda and Lambeti Station shoreline, with Dive Munda staff and newly trained youth divers undertaking an underwater, free dive, and coastal cleanup, starting from Agnes Gateway Hotel.  

Colin Sigimanu, Manager Commercial for Solomon Airlines said the airline was pleased to play a role in highlighting the message behind the international campaign.

“The best way to spread awareness of this important issue is to invite others to join in,” he said.

“Through the engagement of our own staff together with our partners in tourism and especially our schools and youth, Solomon Airlines is very pleased to help raise awareness to keep our coasts clean,” he said.

Belinda Botha, Dive Munda Operations Director praised the level of commitment to the initiative.

“As Dive operators, and a company passionate about conservation of the unique environment and attractions in our Solomon Islands, we are proud to support the Ocean Conservancy and Solomon Airlines in this initiative.

“Dive Munda has long been an ocean advocate and we are committed to continuing to do good, even whilst international border restrictions are in place. The condition of our coastlines as well as our waters are an intrinsic part of ocean health and it is of paramount importance to protect and preserve them,” she said.

“We must also continue to keep our youth focused on protecting our natural and marine resources, fighting plastic pollution through education and participation, and we must lead by example.  We are constantly focused on our communities and our staff, to ensure that we can contribute no matter the cost, and our Youth ‘Learn to Dive’ sponsorship program has expanded as a result of that.

“Coastal, Beach, and Underwater Cleanups was a focus of the 2nd phase of our Youth ‘Learn to Dive’ initiative, and we’re pleased to have engaged a number of our newly trained divers in this year’s effort,” she said.

Click here to find more about Dive Munda's youth sponsorship initiative.