Upon the kind offer of the Government of Vietnam, the WESTPAC 9th International Scientific Symposium entitled “A Healthy Ocean for Prosperity in the Western Pacific: Scientific Challenges and Possible Solutions” will be hosted by the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST), and organized by the Institute of Oceanography, VAST; National IOC Committee for Vietnam and IOC Sub-Commission for the Western Pacific (WESTPAC). OBJECTIVES The objectives of the Symposium are to bring together marine scientists, particularly young scientists, with a view to examining the achievements in marine sciences over the last 25 years, advancing marine scientific knowledge, and catalyzing multi- and cross-disciplinary collaboration towards the improvement in management practices and decision-making processes for sharing the wealth of the ocean to benefit all.