His Serene Highness Prince Albert II, reigning monarch of the Principality of Monaco, spent May 8 at OFI, learning about its success in advancing the sustainable development of the North Atlantic.
“Seeing the enthusiasm and passion of the students and professors alike shows why this institution is at the forefront of ocean research,” he said. “It was a tremendous pleasure to see first hand what great work is being done here.”
A guest of the OFI and its CEO Wendy Watson-Wright, Prince Albert — the son of Hollywood glamour icon Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier III — met researchers like Megan Bailey, Assistant Professor, Dalhousie University, Marine Affairs who not only talked about her work to develop an ecosystem indicator framework for the North Atlantic, she also made a big impression by serving Prince Albert sustainably-caught — and home-cooked — seafood.
Meet & Greet
In addition, His Serene Highness toured ocean laboratories and took part in an informal public Q&A discussion about the changing ocean. A crowd of about 250 people gathered in the Scotiabank Auditorium to talk about solutions for our ocean that would generate both environmental benefits and economic opportunity.
It’s not a surprising topic of interest for Prince Albert, who has shown global leadership in addressing environmental issues and promoting ocean-related sustainable development. The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation focuses on three main challenges: climate change and renewable energy development, combating the loss of biodiversity, and improving universal access to clean water.
“Prince Albert is committed to protecting our environment and knows the work we must do, together, will help safeguard our ocean and leverage the value it contains,” said Wendy Watson-Wright, OFI’s CEO. “It was a great honour to host him.”
