KSLOF participated in the Third Foundations Dialogue Meeting in Monaco, coming together with other marine foundations from around the world to address the major challenges facing our oceans. Organized by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO, the Foundations Dialogue Group provides a platform for the philanthropic community to collaborate and work together to move the needle towards ocean conservation. At the meeting, we discussed how we can align our efforts to achieve the bold ambitions of the United Nations Ocean Decade for Sustainable Development (‘Ocean Decade’), and how the philanthropic community can come together to co-design the ‘science we need for the ocean we want.’

Our President, HRH Princess Hala, spoke at the opening session of the meeting about the importance of working hand-in-hand with coastal communities to co-design sustainable solutions that benefit both the environment and the communities that depend upon it. Shortly thereafter, the foundation signed a cooperative agreement with our host, the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, pledging to work together to safeguard ocean health.

The foundation also participated in several special sessions at the meeting focused on leveraging the latest science and communications for ocean conservation. We also held in-depth discussions on how we can ensure our projects are equitable and support local capacity building, especially when working in small island nations and least-developed countries