Reflection

Reflection

I live in Greece, in a place near the sea. Oceans store thousands of my memories, and I want to believe that they will host many of my future adventures as well. However, our actions have distorted their natural beauty. Marine life isn’t preserved under the changing climate. Industrial discharges, oil spills, and litter have taken over our seas, and the construction of hotels and resorts have degraded coastal ecosystems. Thus, I decided to participate in the 2023 Ocean Awareness Contest and compose a piano piece dedicated to my favorite climate change hero, Brigitta Gunawan. Brigitta leads by example. She is a member of EarthEcho International's Youth Leadership Council and the founder of 30x30 Indonesia, a movement that utilizes education to address marine issues. “Waterland” embodies Brigitta's words: "One step after another I was enchanted by the warm grains slowly moving beneath my feet and the sea sprawling endlessly to the unknown." The music invites you to oceans that give and don’t take lives. A realm where we can hear their pulsating rhythms and their breaths. Where we appreciate their worth. And where we don’t fight the water in an attempt to just survive. Instead, we are encompassed by its vastness, finally learning to cooperate with it. We learn to find harmony within the water. The melodies of 'Waterland' instill hope and enthusiasm for the future, encouraging people to get to work and create waves of change.