In this insightful interview, Monaco Life discusses with Helga Piaget, CEO of Passion Sea, how water conservation efforts are being transformed through innovative education, inspiring youth and tackling marine pollution.
Water is a fundamental resource essential to all life on earth, yet its conservation remains a pressing issue. Addressing the challenges of water quality and availability requires a multifaceted approach that spans personal health, home practices and global environmental concerns.
Passion Sea, a Monaco-based non-profit organisation founded in 2015, is actively involved in advancing these efforts through its focused initiatives on water conservation.
As Helga Piaget, CEO and Development Director of Passion Sea, tells Monaco Life, “The rivers, lakes, seas and oceans are vital for our survival on Planet Earth, they are our responsibility. Preventing any further damage must be our priority and duty.”
Passion Sea’s main objectives are to raise awareness among the younger generations of the importance of preserving, respecting and protecting the waters.
“The world must cherish the waters and keep them clean for our health and the health of our planet,” says Piaget. “We try to spread this message to a wide audience through events and media around the globe.”
Protecting ocean health
Marine pollution represents a severe threat to water quality and ecosystem health, and was also the catalyst for Piaget’s journey into water conservation.
“In Monaco, the Mediterranean Sea is part of our daily lives. Walking next to the beaches, I witnessed a huge amount of trash being washed on to the shore. It breaks my heart and shocks me to see the sea treated so disrespectfully by humans, who are entirely unaware of how dangerous their actions are for themselves and future generations,” says Piaget.
The oceans are integral to regulating the earth’s climate and providing oxygen, absorbing a significant portion of global carbon dioxide emissions. However, pollution from oil spills, plastic waste and other sources disrupt these essential functions and threaten marine life.
Passion Sea’s efforts include raising awareness about marine pollution and supporting clean-up initiatives. By focusing on the challenges of marine pollution, they contribute to protecting and preserving vital water resources.
In 2021, the organisation launched the Passion Sea Flag initiative, a campaign designed to raise awareness and promote responsible behaviours linked to ocean conservation. By flying the Passion Sea Flag on yachts or tenders, participants pledge to respect and protect the oceans by reducing plastic use, properly managing waste, respecting marine protected areas and cleaning up trash encountered at sea.
Children’s art as a voice for water conservation
Education is crucial in promoting water conservation, and Piaget describes how Passion Sea is at the forefront of this effort. The organisation’s programmes aim to teach children and communities about water’s properties, its role in the environment and the impacts of pollution, as well as instilling a culture of awareness and responsibility, through creative projects.
The most rewarding experience for Piaget since starting Passion Sea was working with young children in schools worldwide.
“Children are like sponges; they are excited to learn and interact with us,” she explains. “We always bring them new, fun and exciting creative projects to discover more knowledge about water in their community.”
One such project is the Passion Sea Children World Flag, an example of which can be seen above, which brings together children under the common goal by expressing their thoughts on water. The children spend hours, or sometimes weeks, with their teacher to create an artwork representing their thoughts about water in their country.
Piaget tells Monaco Life, “The results are breathtaking. Art is a universal tool and language. Children in their evolutionary stages need to stimulate the creative part of their brain. Art is a way to express our vision of the world and relate our experiences to others.”
Another similar creative initiative was the Immersion into Water Crystals workshop, organised in 2022 at the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco. The workshop focused on the Poles and snowflakes, allowing children to craft their unique snowflakes while learning about the connections between water, vibrations and the formation of water crystals.
Highlight of the mission
The project that Piaget is particularly proud of is a coffee table book titled Water is Life, Thoughts of Our Generation. Combining pieces of art and poetry with words of wisdom from celebrities, athletes, musicians, artists and scientists, the book celebrates the vision of water in the 21st century.
“This work of art created by my daughter Fiona is certainly a highlight of our mission,” Piaget says proudly.
The book includes messages from Prince Albert II of Monaco, renowned Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli, basketball legend Michael Jordan and Beatles drummer Ringo Star. These celebrity messages were featured alongside input from scientists such as: Dr. Masaru Emoto, a pseudoscientist; Dr. Gérald H Pollack, a biomedical engineer; Jean-Michel Cousteau, the famed oceanographer; and John Englander, also an oceanographer.
Each person involved shared their unique vision and perspective while children added the colour to the message.
Piaget states, “We are grateful for everyone involved in the process. The book’s positive outlook gives hope and makes you understand how we are all connected through this amazing blue element.”
Overcoming challenges
Water conservation faces several challenges that stem from various sources. Increasing global populations and urbanisation lead to higher water demand, stressing existing resources.
“Many people think that nothing can be done, as, unfortunately, industry is more concerned about monetary results than any conservation of our waters,” says Piaget.
Additionally, pollution from industrial activities and agricultural run-off contaminates freshwater supplies, reducing the availability of clean water.
Piaget uses plastic as an example, saying, “Plastic, a new invention, was welcomed with great enthusiasm until we understood that the trash resulting from this material is life-threatening for us and our planet. People don’t understand how mistreating water is mistreating ourselves, our homes and our world. Many schools where we wanted to implement our educational programmes were not willing to give time to this subject. Fortunately, we are not giving up and we will find the right, open minded educational institutions to work with.”
When asked how she stays motivated with all these challenges ahead, she says, “I’m a very positive person, and I don’t take a ‘no’ for an answer. Fighting to accomplish my goals even gives me more strength.”
Inspiring future generations
Piaget has two children and a grandchild to whom she wants to transmit her passion.
“Children are the young generation, the leaders of tomorrow’s world. Together with them, we can start creating long-lasting changes,” she says.
She also has a message of advice for the future generation: “Young people must first learn to respect themselves, their family and friends before being able to respect their environment. They must get to the point of loving nature and wish to preserve it, even to make it a better place. Every one of their actions, as small as it might look, is a step towards a healthier planet and should be encouraged.”
Regarding future initiatives for Passion Sea, Piaget says, “We certainly will continue focusing on surging water problems, restoring water quality on our planet through education, art and innovative solutions.”
“We will also print a new version of our book: Water is Life, Thoughts of our Generation. In September’s we will team up with the Novotel Hotel for the World clean up day with an interesting recycling initiative. In December, according to our mission we will present the first edition of a new project in the Hotel Métropole in Monaco and an exhibition of the most beautiful world water flags …..to share our educational efforts and passion for clean waters with the public.
As Nelson Mandela said, education is the strongest weapon for changing the world.”
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