During High-level Week of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, UNESCO unveiled One Ocean, a special installation hosted at the United Nations Headquarters Visitors’ Plaza in New York that featured a selection of initiatives supported by Sea Beyond, the project by Prada Group to raise awareness of ocean preservation.
Open to the public for two weeks, the installation, which was unveiled Wednesday, brings the ocean to the heart of the international agenda at a moment when heads of state, policymakers and global decision-makers are gathered at the U.N.
“At a time when the world’s leaders are gathered to discuss the future of our planet, we want to remind them of the importance of the ocean for our future,” said Lorenzo Bertelli, Prada Group head of sustainability. “Through Sea Beyond, we have learned that education is one of the most powerful tools for creating lasting change. We are proud to contribute to One Ocean and to support UNESCO in bringing this message to the heart of the United Nations.”
Conceived around UNESCO’s motto, “Learn. Think. Act.,” the installation takes visitors on an immersive journey from awareness to action. It invites them to discover the ocean’s essential role in sustaining life on Earth and its importance for climate resilience, sustainable development and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
“One Ocean” was unveiled Wednesday at the United Nations.
UNESCO, Edison Koo
The experience begins with a striking visualization of the world’s interconnected ocean inspired by the Spilhaus map: this places the ocean at the center of the planet and reveals the connections linking continents, communities and ecosystems. It continues with a collection of questions posed by young people from around the world to heads of state and government attending the General Assembly, offering a powerful reflection on the hopes, concerns and expectations of future generations. The journey concludes with examples of concrete initiatives demonstrating how knowledge can inspire meaningful actions, including a selection of initiatives supported by Sea Beyond, the project by Prada Group conducted in partnership with the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO since 2019 to raise awareness of ocean preservation.
