Not only America's Cup: Luna Rossa partners with Unesco to protect the oceans
A little over two months after the Louis Vuitton Cup, the team led by Prada and Pirelli took centre stage at the Ocean Literacy World Conference in Venice
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The countdown for the thirty-seventh America's Cup has begun: in just over two months, on 24 August, the Louis Vuitton Cup will officially start, the series of regattas that will be held between September and October and will decide who among the challengers will face the holders of the oldest trophy in the world, Emirates Team New Zealand, in New Zealand waters. But before moving on to Barcelona, where the Louis Vuitton Cup will be held, the Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli team made a stop in Venice.
The partnership with the UN agency
.Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli and Unesco announced the launch of a new partnership aimed at spreading ocean conservation messages to the international America's Cup audience. The logos of Unesco and Sea Beyond, the project created in 2019 to promote ocean education to new generations, will be present on Luna Rossa's sails for the entire duration of the competition (photo above). The announcement took place on the opening day of the first Ocean Literacy World Conference , held in Venice on Friday 7 and Saturday 8 June), organised by Unesco and the Prada Group as part of Sea Beyond.
Sailors' involvement
."I am deeply proud to start this collaboration," explained Max Sirena, skipper and team director of Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli (pictured below with Loreno Bertelli). Knowing that our team and our boat have been chosen to spread ocean education and protection of the marine environment globally alongside Unesco is a great honour and we will strive to be worthy of it". For Audrey Azoulay, Unesco's Director General, "through Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli, it is the protection of the ocean that participates in the America's Cup. It is also a magnificent opportunity to strengthen the partnership between Unesco and the Prada Group for ocean education".
A complex programme active for years
.The shared interest of Unesco and the Prada Group in ocean literacy is at the origin of the Sea Beyond programme, which over the years has flanked its educational activities with support for the dissemination of scientific research and the development of humanitarian projects, both related to sea conservation. "Knowing that Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli has been recognised by Unesco as an ambassador for the protection of the sea is a source of great pride for all of us," explained Lorenzo Bertelli, Executive Director of the Prada Group and Patron of the Ocean Decade Alliance. "As Patron of the Ocean Decade Alliance, I am personally committed to the launch of this synergy, which will help us spread knowledge and share our love of the sea.
Sailing's aid to data collection
.The decision to enter into this partnership with Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli is part of a long-term project by Unesco, which has focused on supporting and observing the ocean through sailing, also involving sailors in the Barcelona World Race, the Ocean Race and the Vendée Globe over the years.
