The Second UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development（2021-2030） （Ocean Decade） Conference was held in Barcelona, co-sponsored by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission （IOC） of UNESCO and the Government of Spain. As one of the flagship satellite events of the Conference, the Chinese Navigation Technology and Culture Exhibition of “Against the wind and waves, across the immense ocean, for countless miles” organized by our country was grandly launched in the Maritime Museum of Barcelona in Spain on April 9, 2024. Sun Shuxian, Member of the Party Group of the Ministry of Natural Resources, Vice Minister and Director General of the State Oceanic Administration, Vidar Helgeson, Executive Secretary of IOC and Assistant Director-General of UNESCO, Hu Aimin, Acting Consul General of the Chinese Consulate in Barcelona, and Enric Garcia, Director of the Maritime Museum of Barcelona, attended the opening ceremony and delivered speeches. The delegation of China's Ocean Decade Conference, the Chinese Consulate General in Barcelona, the leaders and experts of the First Institute of Oceanography（FIO） who participated in the Conference, the Barcelona Maritime Museum, Barcelona citizens, representatives of relevant international organizations and the local Chinese community attended the event.

In his speech, Vice Minister Sun Shuxian emphasized that both China and Spain have a long maritime history, and the ocean has deeply influenced the cultures of the two countries. He pointed out that the ocean connects our world, and in recent years China has actively participated in the UN Ocean Decade and made important contributions. Looking ahead, he hoped that the exhibition would spread the culture of the Maritime Silk Road, strengthen the exchanges between China and the West in the field of marine culture, enhance the international community's understanding of and support for Ocean Decade, and promote the sustainable development of the global ocean cause.

Mr. Vidar Helgeson expressed his heartfelt thanks to the Chinese Government for its long-term support of the work of IOC, and pointed out that the exhibition would greatly enhance people's understanding of and respect for the oceans and seas, promote the diversity of marine culture, facilitate cultural exchanges and understanding of the oceans and seas among the countries of the world, and push forward the process of marine conservation and the sustainable use of marine resources. He emphasized that the UN Ocean Decade Collaborative Center on Ocean Climate Nexus（DCC-OCC） is an important part of the implementation of the UN Ocean Decade, which strongly promotes the coordination and cooperation of stakeholders, promotes the enhancement of marine scientific research and management, and makes positive contributions to the cause of global ocean governance. DCC-OCC has made a positive contribution to the cause of global ocean governance.

DCC-OCC, led by the FIO, and the National Maritime Museum jointly organized this exhibition. The exhibition is supported by the China Oceanic Development Foundation and the Maritime Museum of Barcelona. The exhibition presents China's long history of navigation, major inventions and achievements, fruitful progress in scientific research and active practice of ocean governance in a way that connects the past and present, shows the intermingling of China's marine civilization with the world's civilization in a panoramic view, and reviews the progress and achievements of China's marine science. Through scientific and artistic models, graphic materials, multimedia and other forms, the exhibition reflects, from various aspects, the course of Chinese people's understanding and protection of the oceans as well as their initiatives and achievements in support of the UN Ocean Decade, and explains and promotes to the world the ocean culture with Chinese characteristics, reflecting the spirit of China, and embedding the wisdom of China.

This exhibition is the only original exhibition led by China during the Ocean Decade Conference, and it is also the first cooperation in the field of maritime culture between relevant units of China and the Maritime Museum of Barcelona. The exhibition effectively spreads the cultural connotation of the Maritime Silk Road, which is "friendly, tolerant, reciprocal, symbiotic and resilient", and gives the Ocean Decade Conference a richer color of traditional Chinese culture, which enhances the Spanish people's understanding and awareness of maritime culture.