After three months on the gates of UNESCO headquarters in Paris, the photographic exhibition “Protecting UNESCO’s World Marine Heritage through Scientific Research”, comprising 21 photographs from the Monaco Explorations missions, can be seen from 07 January to 01 March 2021 on the gates of the St-Martin gardens in Monaco as well as in digital version. This exhibition is organized in collaboration with the Government of Monaco and with the support of the Direction des Affaires Culturelles.

Since 2017, the Principality of Monaco has partnered with UNESCO to strengthen the conservation and scientific understanding of marine sites inscribed on the World Heritage List. This partnership includes a strategic collaboration with the Explorations de Monaco expeditions. In addition to the results of the scientific investigations carried out during the expeditions, this collaboration helps to draw international attention to the conservation challenges facing the world’s most emblematic marine sites.

Of the 50 marine sites listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 37 countries, four are represented in the exhibition: the Tubbataha Reef Natural Park (Philippines), the Malpelo wildlife sanctuary (Colombia), the South lagoon of the Chelbacheb islands (Palau) and Lagoons of New Caledonia(France). The photographs are all the result of research carried out by international, multidisciplinary scientific teams during several Explorations de Monaco missions. On the program: megafauna census, shark tagging, deep-sea exploration, coral adaptation to climate change. Each image reveals a wide variety of habitats and marine life that is still largely unknown. An invitation to learn more about these magnificent sites and the research activities essential to monitoring their conservation status and understanding their species.

The exhibition is part of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Sciences for Sustainable Development (2021-2030), coordinated by UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC). The launch of this major operation will be marked on January 28, 2021 by a high-level supporters’ meeting in which H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco will participate.

Entitled ” The science we need for the ocean we want “This initiative represents a unique opportunity for the world to multiply investment in ocean science and mobilize the latest scientific advances and innovations in favor of protecting our ocean – including marine World Heritage sites – for future generations.