La Prairie, luxury Swiss beauty brand have announced the winner of the La Prairie Award for Innovation in Marine Protection, in partnership with the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, which aims to recognise and support grassroots projects targeted towards resolving environmental issues.

 

Selected amongst The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation projects, each of the three nominees for the award represented its own individual environmental challenge and proposed solution.

 

Patrick Rasquinet, CEO and President of the La Prairie Group, and Céline Cousteau, Founder of CauseCentric Productions and Special Ambassador for La Prairie’s Advanced Marine Biology Collection, formally announced the La Prairie Award winners during the 2012 Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation’s Award Ceremony held in the Science Museum in London on 12 October.

 

Since 2007, La Prairie has been actively engaged in preserving the ocean’s rich ecosystem by using only marine-sourced substances cultivated in a carefully controlled land-based environment in its Advanced Marine Biology Collection of skin-treatment products.

 

 

MONK SEAL CONSERVATION PROJECT

The first place winner, receiving the grand prize of $100,000, is the Monk Seal Conservation Project to help save the endangered species in the Mediterranean Sea; the first runner-up, receiving $20,000, is the Kalabia Marine Conservation Education Program which runs an educational boat for teaching children to respect the environment; the second runner-up, receiving $10,000, is the Toliara Reef Complex Project, a marine ecosystem conservation effort Madagascar.

 

The winners were determined by the public’s voting on www.facebook.com/laprairie and through an International Jury, presided by Céline Cousteau and comprised of His Excellency Bernard Fautrier, Vice-President and CEO of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, Vanessa Berlowitz, acclaimed researcher at the BBC Natural History Unit, and Alannah Weston, Creative Director at Selfridges and Chairman of the Reta Lila Howard Foundation.

 

“We’re thrilled to have collaborated with the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation on our first ever La Prairie Award for Innovation in Marine Protection,” said La Prairie Group President and CEO Patrick Rasquinet.

 

“They share our mission in protecting the Earth’s resources and providing advanced sustainable solutions through awareness and most importantly, action.  As Céline (Cousteau) says, we only have one world… it is our duty to take care of it.  La Prairie is proud to play a part in caring for our planet.”

 

[From L to R:  His Excellency Bernard Fautrier, Vice-President and CEO of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, Vanessa Berlowitz, series producer and acclaimed researcher at BBC Earth, Patrick Rasquinet, President and CEO of La Prairie Group and Céline Cousteau, Founder of CauseCentric Productions and Special Ambassador for La Prairie’s Advanced Marine Biology Collection at Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation fifth annual award ceremony, celebrating the La Prairie Award for Innovation in Marine Protection, held 12 October 2012, Science Museum, London, England.]

 

INCREASED BIODIVERSITY

Céline Cousteau, president of the International Jury, concurred, “To be a part of the La Prairie Award from start to finish was truly rewarding.  My fellow jurors and I are confident that with their various contributions (from the La Prairie Award), each project will be able to further their impact protecting communities in need of increased biodiversity and awareness around the world.”

 

With the first place prize, the Tethys Research Institute, Italy, the organisation spearheading the Monk Seal Conservation Project, will be able to provide full ecosystem aid, addressing the monk seal relationship with fisheries degrading their habitat to allow them to coexist mutually.

 

Additionally, the project will be able to increase marine biodiversity, preserving the Mediterranean ecosystem as a whole.

 

As first runner-up, the Kalabia Marine Conservation Education Program will continue sailing their namesake boat through the waters of the Indonesian Raja Ampat Archipelago, carrying its message of environmental conservation to 100+ local villages.

 

In teaching and spreading awareness the organization, Conservation International [which funds the MV Kalabia] will continue to cultivate a mutual respect between the people and the community who rely heavily upon the healthy reefs for fish supplies.

 

As second runner-up, the Toliara Reef Complex of Madagascar, a valuable ecosystem made up of coral barrier reefs, mangroves and lagoons, supported by WWF (Worldwide Fund for Nature) International initiatives, will be revitalized with the help of local people to promote sustainable exploitation of resources through responsible fishing.