On the morning of Thursday, May 5, 2022, His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco inaugurated The Perfect World Foundation’s latest project, Project Ocean. The purpose of the project is to spread knowledge about, the location, salvage, and recycling of ghost nets and other lost fishing equipment in our oceans. 

Prior to inaugurating the project, Prince Albert II was at the Långedrag Marina in Gothenburg where he released a “…Mallard into the water. The Mallard has become a symbol of the great problem of plastics in the oceans that affect humans and animals…” according to the Swedish newspaper, Göteborgs Posten.

In the afternoon, the sovereign prince planted a tree in the Attenborough Forest at the Gothenburg Botanical Garden. The purpose of the planting of the tree is to draw attention to The Perfect World Foundation’s work in promoting biodiversity.

This evening, Prince Albert II will be honored during the 2022 Arctic Ocean Gala dinner, held at the Gothenburg Stock Exchange, where he will be presented with the Honorary Conservation Award.

Previous recipients of the conservation award include Sir David Attenborough, Dr. Sylvia Earle, Dr. Jane Goodall, Dr. Wangari Maathai, the late Dr. Dian Fossey, and Miss Greta Thunberg to name a few.

The sovereign prince will become the ninth recipient of the honorary conservation award. The award is presented annually to an individual who has made a significant contribution to the global awareness of the importance of protecting wildlife, nature, and the environment. 

Prince Albert II is also being honored for his life-long commitment, dedication, and work in ocean conservation. Moreover, his personal foundation, Fondation Prince Albert II de Monaco (FPA), is dedicated to the protection of the environment and the promotion of sustainable development such as limiting the effects of climate change and promoting renewable energies, preserving biodiversity, managing water resources, and combating desertification.

Photos courtesy of the Göteborgs Posten