The Stelios Philanthropic Foundation, WWF and the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation raised 340,000 euros for the preservation of the monk seal during a dinner event on Friday 30 September. Seventy philanthropists were invited by Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou to the exclusive dinner, held in the conference room of the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation in Monaco. HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco and Marco Lambertini, Director General of WWF International were in attendance.
Donations collected, amounting to 170,000 euros, were matched by the Stelios Foundation and donated to the Prince Albert II Monaco Foundation and WWF for efforts aimed at saving the Mediterranean monk seal from extinction. The record-breaking amount was reached during the 10th edition of the annual event, organized by the three Foundations. Since 2013, nearly 1.6 million euros have been raised for the environment at all ten events.
UBS Optimus Foundation Europe teams up with Prince Albert II Foundation
The UBS Optimus Foundation Europe, UBS Monaco and the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation are joining forces to strengthen the protection of marine mammals in the Mediterranean. On Friday 30 September, UBS Optimus Foundation Europe, UBS Monaco and the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation signed a partnership agreement in the presence of HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco.
Projects supported within the framework of this partnership will be devoted to the restoration of coastal ecosystems as well as developing and financing marine protected areas and “no-take zones” (protected areas that do not allow any fishing, mining, drilling, or other extractive activities).
“Partnering with UBS Optimus Foundation Europe and UBS Monaco, with whom we share the same vision of high-impact philanthropy, is an honour for the Foundation. Accelerating collaboration and amplifying solutions for better preservation of species and ecosystems is essential to tackle the issue of climate change, which is why this support makes sense for us in our mission to advance the health of the ocean and the planet,” said Olivier Wenden, Vice – Chairman and Managing Director of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation.
€2 million commitment
The collaboration will begin as part of the Pelagos initiative, launched in 2021 by the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation alongside partners WWF, IUCN and Medpan. UBS Optimus Foundation and the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation are each committing one million euros to support projects led by civil society to protect marine mammals in the Pelagos Sanctuary and promote this emblematic area of the Mediterranean. Conservation actions will also be part of the portfolio of sustainable projects offered by UBS Optimus Foundation Europe to its clients. UBS Monaco will match donations made by their clients or employees by 10% or more for the UBS Optimus Foundation for the Pelagos initiative.
On 29 September, a private event at the Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel launched the partnership. The high-level roundtable began with welcome speeches by Olivier Wenden and Alejandro Velez, UBS Country Head Monaco and Head FIM Europe, followed by a panel discussion attended by Suzanne Gallon, Chief Scientist at MedPan, Hannah Wood, Director of the Climate and Environment Program at USB Optimus Foundation and Marco Lambertini, CEO of WWF. The panel was moderated by Nancy Heslin, Editor-in-Chief of Forbes Monaco.
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