2012 was an amazing year of growth, with the launch of our newest campaign I'm FINished with FINs, and of education, with presentations and tabling events reaching out to thousands of people about the importance of shark conservation. Take a look at what we achieved:
February was a time of bringing the scientific research to the fore at the ISEAS Seminar and Singapore Animal Welfare Symposium and ACRES Public Forum on Animal Welfare Policies.
April brought the launch of the ‘I’m FINished with FINS’ campaign.
We also gave a presentation at Ngee Ann Polytechnic School of Business and Accountancy and reached out to divers through presentations and a children's performance at the Asia Dive Expo. Shark Savers was also featured at the Wedding Essentials Showcase.
May 1st was SharkAid 2012, a chance to engage with the wider public. Our celebrity endorsers, including ambassador Hossan Leong took to the stage. Again many pledges were collected, children took part in the ‘Save Them All’ challenge, and we unleashed our fins and flash mob on Singapore!
June was another busy month with the DRT Expo at Suntec City, and a press event with Scott Cassell and Luminox. Nominated Members of Parliament Nicholas Fang and Eugene Tan pledged support and an open letter signed by 41 of the world’s foremost scientists, researchers and academics: all of them agreed that the shark fin trade is not sustainable.
July was World Oceans Month; Shark Savers celebrated in Tioman, at Berjaya Resort who took a corporate pledge. This was widely covered by the Malaysian press. Later that month, volunteers from from Singapore also attended MIDE Expo, a Malaysian dive show in Kuala Lumpur.
Shark Savers was featured in Asian Diver magazine and we were invited to give talks to 5 and 6 year olds at Carpe Diem First Years.
In August and September we gave talks at Rotary Club East, and Tanjong Katong Girls School chose sharks as part of their Project Work Festival.
October brought our signature Shark 101 course (an introductory presentation for people new to shark conservation) to 2,000 students at Radin Mas Primary School.
The campaign gathered amazing momentum and the number of celebrities, personalities featured in our ‘I’m FINished with Fins’ campaign reached 54! These amazing ambassadors contributed their time, good looks, fortune and talent to the campaign. Singapore buzzed with excitement over their participation!
And Asian Diver Magazine became the official publication for Shark Savers Asia.
November was a very successful month for gaining corporate support with the IndoChine Green Festival. We were able to thank Singtel, Courts SG, Pet Lovers Centre Singapore and Pet Lovers Centre Malaysia, Superskill Graphics, The Lau Network, Singapore Handicrafts, City Chain, Optical 88, Berjaya Hotels & Resorts, Alliance 21, Asian Geographic Magazines, Dipline Asia, KTT Fine Wine, Lush Cosmetics and of course IndoChine in the presence of the Prince and Princess of Monaco.
Along with a gala dinner, there was a screening of SharkWater and a Marine Conservation Forum. Billboards at the bus-stops brought our ‘I’m FINished with Fins’ campaign to the masses.
December was a time to celebrate a Dazzling Christmas with the Stars at a Noon Talk Media event by kind invitation of Dasmond Koh, our Mandarin campaign ambassador. A wonderful opportunity to reach the younger generation of Singaporeans.
