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Maya Gabeira new UNESCO Champion for the Ocean and Youth

On the occasion of the United Nations Conference on the Ocea…

Evento di nomina di Maya Gabeira come UNESCO Champion for the Ocean and Youth

Written by

Valentina Lovat

Publishing Date

5 July 2022

Reading time

6 min

Last week, the city of Lisbon hosted the United Nations Ocean Conference, a global event that aims to strengthen international cooperation by promoting better understanding and protection of the ocean to find innovative solutions to today’s problems.

On this occasion, Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO, announced the appointment of Maya Gabeira, a Brazilian big wave surfer, as a Goodwill Ambassador, naming her “UNESCO Champion for the Ocean And Youth”.

Maya Gabeira, who currently holds the world record for the highest wave ever surfed by a woman, will play an active role in promoting UNESCO’s advocacy on ocean sustainability issues. The surfer will be at the forefront of mobilizing the new generations, hosting youth summits on ocean sustainability and acting as the main spokesperson for GenOcean, UNESCO’s new campaign to inspire lifestyle changes.

I am deeply concerned about the many challenges facing the ocean, from pollution to the loss of marine biodiversity. What motivates me in my role as UNESCO Ocean and Youth Champion is the opportunity to see the ocean through a multiplicity of perspectives. UNESCO works to safeguard biodiversity, supports scientific research and the cultural values of the ocean. It is an honor for me to make its work known.
Maya Gabeira, Brazilian surfer and UNESCO Goodwill ambassador “Champion for Ocean and Youth”

Maya Gabeira nomination event as UNESCO Champion for the Ocean and Youth

Who is Maya Gabeira?

Maya Gabeira is a Brazilian surfer who grew up in a family that has always been committed to the environment, so from a young age she understood the importance of climate issues. Daily actions help and Maya is aware of the products she buys and the companies she supports.

She started surfing at the age of 13 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and turned professional at the age of 17. Since then, her passion has been the ocean.
In her Big Wave career, she has won the Billabong XXL Global Big Wave Awards for five years in a row. But she reached the pinnacle of her career in 2020 in Nazaré, riding a 22.4-meter wave, the largest wave ever surfed by a woman, breaking the Guinness World Record.

After 15 years in close contact with the ocean, Maya Gabeira has witnessed firsthand the impact of pollution and climate change on the marine world, highlighting the urgency of acting now. Thanks to her collaboration with the NGO Oceana, Maya Gabeira has supported a campaign against plastic in Brazil. From today, she will dedicate her experience and commitment to contribute to the achievement of UNESCO’s climate goals.

Nomina di Maya Gabeira come UNESCO Champion for the Ocean and Youth presso la UN Ocean Conference a Lisbona.

Maya Gabeira’s commitment to the ocean

The Brazilian athlete answered questions from UNESCO Courier journalists about the challenges she has faced in her career and her commitment to protecting the ocean. Here are some interesting points in Italian.

You have been named “UNESCO Champion for the Ocean and Youth”. What is your message to young people around the world and what can you tell us about protecting the ocean?

It is an honor to accept such a title. I hope to be able to raise awareness of the challenges the ocean faces and the actions we can take to protect it! We, as individuals, can contribute immensely to restoring the health of the ocean.

I spend a lot of time in the ocean and have seen its decline in recent years. I hope that we, as individuals, can take action now to preserve it and pressure world leaders to do the same on a larger scale, as we need to do to achieve the goals of Sustainable Development Goal 14.

You are very outspoken about gender discrimination in sports and athletes struggling with anxiety. Can you tell us more about these issues?

I started surfing at the age of 13 on Ipanema Beach in Rio de Janeiro. At the time, inspired by a boyfriend and schoolmates, I decided to join the boys in the ocean rather than wait for them on the beach.

I had to work on gender because the lack of opportunities for us women in big wave surfing was so huge. So, in order to continue to progress in my sport, I had to change things. I had to create a better platform to be able to continue to pursue a professional career in surfing.

I also like to make sure that the athletes who come after me don’t have to go through the same struggles I did. This is my little contribution to sports.

Speaking of mental health: When I was diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, my life changed for the better. I struggled for a long time, without knowing what I had. After the diagnosis, I told my close circle and my life became much easier. I felt that talking about it had a big positive impact on my health.

In 2013, an accident almost took your life, but then you made an incredible comeback, breaking two world records. What gave you this strength?

Passion for this sport, passion for the ocean and my lifestyle.

It took me four years to get my body and mind back in order to surf big waves and break records. I didn’t want to give up on my dreams and I didn’t want to give up on becoming a professional surfer. So, in a way, it was more natural to keep fighting than to give up on my life and passion. The daily progress motivated me, celebrating the small milestones along the way.

What goals do you hope to achieve as a UNESCO Champion?

First, to continue educating myself to be able to educate others; to continue to understand the science and follow the information coming from research to understand how we can protect the ocean more effectively. On a personal level, we can protect the ocean with everyday actions, but I hope to be able to use my platform and my love for the ocean to engage more people in this conversation and help make it a global trending topic as it should be!