Global PADI Women's Dive Day Events Give Back to Our Blue Planet

          On July 20, 2019, PADI(R) Dive Centers and Resorts will host thousands of divers for PADI Women's Dive Day, a global celebration of shared adventure, passion and ocean advocacy. While the first PADI Women's Dive Day in 2015 underscored PADI's dedication to strengthening female participation in scuba diving, it has become evident the positive influence of the day extends beyond gender: Events are taking on conservation and community-minded causes at their core, giving divers the opportunity to take action, give back and be a force for good.

          "PADI Women's Dive Day has become a global movement to create and inspire a passionate community of ocean advocates that spans generations. What started as a celebration of women in diving has quickly become the single largest day of diving in the world – something every diver can draw inspiration from," says Kristin Valette-Wirth, chief marketing officer at PADI Worldwide.

          This year, PADI Dive Centers and Resorts will again host hundreds of events worldwide. Here are just a few events to look forward to:

          - Thaa Atoll, Maldives—COMO Maalifushi will celebrate throughout July with reef cleanups, movies under the stars, ocean conservation courses and youth dive experiences. Dive instructors will also provide PADI Discover Scuba(R) Diving opportunities for local women.

          - Maierato, Italy—With Reef Check, Divers Alert Network and the local government, Blue Submarine by Scuba World ASD will offer Dive Against Debris(R) courses and dives for women to remove debris and ghost nets from the marine protected area.

          - Channel Islands, USA—A Seattle-based youth scuba team will voyage on a liveaboard dive boat in California's Channel Islands. The kids and teens, led by PADI Master Scuba Diverae Trainer Annie Crawley, will explore kelp forests, learn dive skills and share the importance of ocean health through underwater videography, photography and storytelling.

          - Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands—Divetech will host 100 women to break its own record for the longest female underwater human chain, an event that will raise funds and awareness for Breast Cancer Foundation and local conservation organizations.

          - Queensland, Australia—Brisbane Dive Academy will celebrate female divers with a shore dive and barbecue.

          - Puerto Galera, Philippines—Asia Divers is dedicating the weekend to a "Healthy Ocean, Healthy Body" with an underwater cleanup, yoga and opportunities to try freediving with a PADI Freedivera Instructor.

          Contact your PADI Dive Center or Resort or visit padi.com to participate in PADI Women's Dive Day.

          About PADI

          PADI(R) (Professional Association of Diving Instructors(R)) is the world's largest diver training organization with over 6,600 dive centers and resorts and 137,000 professional members worldwide. Issuing 1 million certifications each year, PADI makes underwater exploration, travel and adventure accessible to people around the world while maintaining the highest industry standards for dive training and safety. PADI is committed to supporting social and environmental efforts through its Pillars of Change(SM), empowering divers with information to get involved with causes they care about. www.padi.com.