Monaco continues the celebrations of its 75 years of membership in UNESCO

H.E. Mrs. Anne-Marie BOISBOUVIER, Ambassador and Permanent Delegate of the Principality of Monaco to UNESCO, continued the celebrations of the 75th anniversary of Monaco’s membership in UNESCO*, which began in February 2024, with the inauguration, on October 3rd at UNESCO Headquarters, of the exhibition of photographs by the Laureates of the Prince Albert II Foundation Environmental Photography Award.

After highlighting two of UNESCO’s mission pillars (Culture and Education) earlier this year through various events, it was Science’s turn to take center stage with this exhibition.

As H.E. the Ambassador emphasized in her speech, the Principality of Monaco’s contribution to Science, specifically in oceanography, is part of a long-standing tradition, notably thanks to its Princes, especially Prince Albert I, who now has a prize named after him within UNESCO’s MAB (Man and the Biosphere) program.

The photographs exhibited in the Ségur Hall of UNESCO Headquarters until October 14th come from the 4th Environmental Photography Award of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation. The Foundation, as desired by the Sovereign, is actively committed to protecting and improving planetary health and collaborates with UNESCO, particularly within the framework of the Decade of Ocean Science implemented by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission. The Ambassador recalled that this competition reflects the Principality’s ambition to foster a harmonious relationship between Man and Nature, while enhancing understanding of the impacts of human activities on our planet’s ecosystems. She also highlighted the importance of imagery and photography, which can provoke reactions and convey emotions, leaving a more lasting imprint on people’s minds than numbers and reports.

No less than 11,000 photos were submitted to the Jury for this 4th edition of the contest, presented by over 2,600 photographers from 134 countries, competing in 5 categories: “Marine Worlds”, “Heart of the Forest”, “Polar Wonders”, “Humanity versus Nature” and “Changemakers, Bearers of Hope.”

More than one hundred people attended the inauguration, including the President of the UNESCO General Conference, H.E. Mrs. Simona-Mirela MICULESCU, UNESCO’s Assistant Director-General for Natural Sciences, Mrs. Lidia BRITO, UNESCO’s Assistant Director-General for Culture, Mr. Ernesto OTTONE, the Secretary of the MAB Program, Mr. Antonio ABREU, as well as Mr. Alain LEROY, member of the Board of the Prince Albert II Foundation, and numerous Ambassadors. To also raise awareness among young people about environmental issues, several students residing at the Fondation de Monaco in Paris attended the event, accompanied by Mrs. Martine GARCIA-MASCARENHAS, Director of the Fondation de Monaco at the Cité Internationale Universitaire de Paris.

The commemoration year of these 75 years of the Principality’s membership in UNESCO will conclude in December 2024 with the publication of a book containing extensive documentation illustrating major events of the shared journey between the Principality and UNESCO, thus reflecting the Principality’s commitment to universal values of peace, culture, education, and sustainable development.