Inauguration of the PAREO project |31 October 2022
Seychellois marine scientists in the making!
On Friday October 28 on Curieuse island in the sponsored designated marine education area, 13 students from the Baie Ste Anne primary school were the first to be equipped with knowledge and skills to treasure the marine environment and to pass on what they have learned.
The inquisitive children are on their way to becoming young ambassadors of our precious marine eco-system and hopefully many of them will have the desire to become future marine scientists.
PAREO is a wonderful initiative to equip young Seychellois marine scientists of tomorrow by providing a marine research area on Curieuse Island, tools of research methods and lots of marine environment knowledge. This is sponsored by the Monaco Explorations, through the coordination of French national research institute for sustainable development (IRD) and in partnership with the Seychelles Parks and Gardens Authority (SPGA).
Wrapping it up PAREO means: Patrimoine Récifal de l’Océan Indien entre nos Mains – and in English: Coral reef Heritage Indian Ocean in our hands.
Keinan, one of the primary students and MC of the PAREO inauguration, opened the event by very professionally welcoming all the guests, representatives of the Monaco Explorations, IRD, SPGA, department of environment, Baie Ste Anne district administrator Denis Antat and head teacher of Baie Ste Anne primary school Monique Lesperance, the media present (Seychellois and French), teachers and parents involved. Keinan stressed that from June 2022 until now, he and the other 13 Baie Ste Anne students have learned to manage part of the Curieuse marine park: “We acted like managers, studied the area, identified the threats, implemented conservation measures and later we will evaluate the output.”
He opened the floor for Reunion’s IRD representative, scientist and coordinator Pascale Chabanet. She spoke very passionately about PAREO being a regional (Indian Ocean wide) initiative to transmit the scientific knowledge on coral reefs and encourage children going from knowledge to action.
“I’m opening the ceremony also on behalf of the French institute of research for development (IRD). IRD is above all a research institute with the objective of improving knowledge for a more sustainable society, the transfer of knowledge,” said Mrs Chabanet.
Furthermore she stressed: “Research whose advances are not widely disseminated and shared with populations cannot effectively contribute to a sustainable development. The dissemination of knowledge contributes to raise the capacity of citizens to face the multiple challenges of development, to make informed choices and to be fully-fledged actors of change and of the world of tomorrow,” Mrs Chabanet explained.
She added that the dissemination she talks about stands on three pillars:
- knowing the sea: learn about life on coral reefs;
- connecting children to reef environment by discovering the sea and its users;
- transmitting knowledge of the sea and becoming actors in conservation.
“This is what these children have chosen to do: to take care of a marine area and propose concrete actions to protect it. To create educative marine areas, is a unique approach which aims at a participative management of a small coastal marine area by children,” Mrs Chabanet noted.
She thanked the Monaco Explorations and concluded that the success of the project wouldn’t be possible without the financial support of the Monaco Explorations and the Réunion Region through the European regional development. Furthermore, she expressed that the completion of the first phase of project would not have been possible without the exemplary involvement of the children, their parents, in particular one mother Liza. Her gratitude was also extended to two young ladies ‒ Maria Brioche and Lola Masse ‒ who put all their energy in this AME.
Mrs Chabanet concluded by saying: “For me it’s important to open a window in children's eyes for a society. They will do what they want from this window, but what is important for me is to share the light of knowledge to become informed citizens and fully-fledged actors of change of the world of tomorrow.The main actors are the children who actively participate in educational projects making them responsible for their future actions to preserve nature. As Nelson Mandela said: ‘Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world’."
After the powerful speech by Reunionnais scientist Pascale Chabanet, the children presented their work; Shayne delivered another devoted testimony of their newly acquired knowledge and their pledge to preserve coral reefs. The invitees could admire the artistic replica of the underwater environment presented by Anna Lisa, Jelisa and Arnaud, while Amy recited, by heart, her wonderful poem about the underwater environment.
Representing Monaco Exploration, sponsor of PAREO and interlinking the project with an International audience, Dr Francis Marsac explained that the Monaco Explorations (ME) is a platform at the service of the engagement of H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco for promoting knowledge, sustainable management and protection of the ocean. The three main areas are:
- A high level political engagement for a smart and sustainable management of the marine space. This was well demonstrated in the visit of HSH Prince Albert II to Aldabra with ministers Jean-François Ferrari and Flavien Joubert, and the signing of a memorandum of understanding on the island for coral reef conservation;
- A scientific research meeting international standards to inform the decision making process, hence a science for governance. A good example is the current research cruise on the SA Agulhas II, gathering together an international team of 80 marine scientists.
- Sensitisation to the ocean conservation to the public at large, in particular by engaging with the younger generations to stimulate commitments at all levels of the society. The launch of the educational marine area (EMA) of Curieuse island is a clear expression of this objective.
“Monaco Explorations has financially supported the development of the EMA in the PAREO project and I am delighted to see its successful achievement and especially the ‘management role’ played by the children,” said Dr Marsac.
He added: “I also want to congratulate the children for developing a QR code which gives an online access to their poster, explaining the good practice to adopt around the coral reef ecosystems.
“Now we trust this is not the end of the project, but rather the start of a new endeavour that could be expanded to other schools and local communities, for the future we want for our coral reefs.”
He then addressed the children in Creole and showed his appreciation for their achievement, his amazement in their creation of a QR code to their poster on sustainable behaviour around the coral reefs and last but not least their fantastic enthusiasm for the marine ecosystem.
Baie Ste Anne primary school head teacher Monique Lesperance addressed the children: “Dear students, you are our little marine biologists, take your responsibility seriously to protect the Curieuse marine park.”
As for Baie Ste Anne district administrator Denis Antat, who was once a teacher, he said he is sure that this wonderfully inter-social, connecting project will bring forward future scientists.
He acknowledged that the children were thoroughly engaged with the learned skills, knowledge and showed their love towards the marine environment with great eagerness.
After the inauguration, the programme manager of the new coral nurseries in the Curieuse island marine park demonstrated their innovative approach to anchor alive, broken (often through tourism activities) corals. Its success so far is very promising. The coral restoration project is also supported by the Monaco Explorations.
The PAREO project does not end here, the next highlight for the children is a visit on board of the Monaco Explorations chartered SA Agulhas II Scientific Research Ship from South Africa (our first ice breaker in Seychelles), which is currently anchored in Mahé. They will meet many of the 80 scientists on board, see the labs and have fun activities on board, before SA Agulhas II is continues its Indian Ocean expedition to Saya de Malha.
Furthermore it is envisioned that more Seychellois schools get a chance to participate and more marine education areas will be allocated and co-sponsored by the Monaco Explorations and IRD, committed actors in international development for achievement of the sustainable development goals (SDGs).
The accompanying photos show highlights of the activity on Curieuse Island on October 28.
By Irene du Preez
