The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation (BMOTIA) was excited to host 20 students from the University of Miami (UM) at Hidden Worlds’ “Our Ocean, Our Future Immersive Experience” on 2 March, in continued efforts to promote the importance of protecting and preserving the ocean.
The Journalism & Media Management class was led by Bahamian journalist and former reporter Kyle Walkine, who currently lectures at the university while working on his PhD.
Students had the opportunity to engage with the multi-room art displays highlighting ocean conservation efforts in The Bahamas and were given a tour of the marine journey art show by Carter Jordan, Hidden Worlds’ Vice President of Business Development.
The exhibit sought to captivate guests by engaging all five senses through immersive art displays, featuring a Junkanoo inspired mural by Bahamian artisan Angelika Wallace-Whitfield, underwater shark photography by Bahamian cinematographer and professional free diver Andre Musgrove and ocean-conservation themed artwork by students from across The Bahamas.
According to Walkine, the UM course provides the students with a good understanding of writing styles that are appropriate for communication in the digital age and provides a solid foundation for writing and specialisation in various types of multimedia communication.
“With experiences like this one provided by The Bahamas’ Ministry of Tourism, the students are able to take a more global approach,” Walkine said.
“And they appear to be having a great time, as am I.”
The students will produce a 600-word essay about the experience that would further promote planet stewardship and bring awareness to ocean conservation.
BMOTIA is proud to partner with local non-profit organisations and key stakeholders in local conservation and sustainability efforts including The Bahamas Protected Area Fund (BPAF), the Bahamas National Trust (BNT), Waterkeepers Bahamas (WKB), Coral Vita (CV), The Perry Institute for Marine Science, The Bahamas Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA), Blue Lagoon Island, Baha Mar Resort, the Grand Bahama Island Tourism Board (GBITB), the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), The Bahamas Agriculture & Marine Science Institute (BAMSI), The Island School and many more.
The 18-day oceanic adventure concluded March 4, 2023. A percentage of ticket sales will benefit Beneath the Waves, a non-profit organisation dedicated to promoting ocean health using science and technology to catalyse ocean policy and protect threatened species.
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