Press Releases
DARWIN200 Arrives in Fiji Amplifying Conservation Efforts Across the Pacific
The iconic DARWIN200 voyage which set sail from Plymouth Harbour, UK in August 2023 retracing Charles Darwin’s most famous sea voyage, is mid way through it’s epic two year planetary conservation mission aboard historic Dutch Tall ship OOSTERSCHELDE – training 200 young environmentalists along the way.
Arriving in the Pacific island nation of Fiji on 17th September 2024, the DARWIN200 project has invited two Darwin Leaders from Australia and New Zealand who will be staying on board the ship while it is in port to work on projects aligned with the IUCN Oceania Regional Conservation Forum and the Youth in Conservation Forum.
YouTube Video explainer of DARWIN200 with Stewart McPherson and Dame Jane Goodall (10mins)
Click here https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=shared&v=1V9nJKr5v8w
PRESS KIT
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Xi1OMq6YZgOsYvJpKIfb40eYxzOg32fZ
RECENT PHOTOS
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1LXFzj9W4NXM2fR46qid3_0-TwO7L5DNx?usp=sharing
B ROLL FOOTAGE YEAR 1
B ROLL FOOTAGE GALAPAGOS
NOTES ON BROLL
https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:EU:115816c4-333e-4181-98e2-c498bc4abdd8
Stewart McPherson, Director of DARWIN200, says:
Fiji is a crucial stop on our DARWIN200 voyage, as it represents both the extraordinary beauty and environmental challenges facing Pacific Island nations. During our time here, we will collaborate closely with local conservationists to tackle key issues focusing on shark protection and the conservation of the famous Fijian cicada. The work we undertake in Fiji is not only vital for safeguarding its ecosystems, but also for raising global awareness about the urgent need to protect our planet’s most vulnerable environments. It’s an incredible opportunity to inspire the next generation of environmental leaders and to learn from the rich natural heritage of the Fijian islands.
While Charles Darwin himself never visited these islands during the voyage of The Beagle, Fiji plays an important role in environmental conservation, particularly due to its unique biodiversity and vulnerability to climate change. The country has taken significant steps in Marine Conservation, Coral Reef Protection, Climate Change Leadership, Forest Conservation and Sustainable Tourism and DARWIN200 will be supporting Fiji’s environmental conservation efforts that are crucial not only for preserving its own ecosystems but also for contributing to global biodiversity and the fight against climate change.
Meet The Darwin Leaders
Vineeta Gupta, 25, from Tasmania, Australia: Vineeta (Vini) studied at the University of Tasmania, majoring in Zoology and Microbiology. She is currently the Jane Goodall Roots & Shoots State Coordinator for Tasmania, Vini is growing the movement down south to build a community of young, empowered change makers of hope. 100% voluntarily, she’s driven by her own deep passion for environmentalism, campaigned with the Australian Youth Climate Coalition plus she’s Climate Reality Leader.
Project: The protection of Sharks in Fiji
Partners in the project: IUCN Oceania, University of South Pacific, Fiji Shark Lab
Vini Gupta is investigating efforts to protect shark populations in Fiji like the Scalloped Hammerheads and Bull Sharks. Where Indigenous communities not only hold traditional ownership over land and sea but also view certain sharks as totem animals. These sharks are important to their cultural heritage and belief systems. Sharks play a vital role in maintaining marine ecosystems but face threats from overfishing and habitat loss. By using the IUCN’s Marine Spatial Planning (MSP), which respects local ownership, qoliqoli fishing rights, the project aims to establish marine protected areas that balance conservation with sustainable use. While ecotourism brings awareness, MSP ensures long-term protection by regulating fishing and reducing human impact, safeguarding shark populations and the cultural and economic livelihoods of local communities.
Alexia Hilbertidou, 25, from New Zealand: Alexia is the CEO of GirlBoss NZ, New Zealand’s largest organisation for young women, which she founded at 16. Now with 17,500 members, Alexia’s mission is to get women to the table—the boardroom table, that is—and she believes the decisions made while young are crucial in paving the way. Of Samoan descent, she has flown with NASA, received the Queen’s Young Leaders Medal, is a National Geographic Explorer, Forbes 30 Under 30, and is the youngest New Zealander to represent the country at the UN. She was named Pacific Young Entrepreneur of the Year in both 2020 and 2022. Alexia studied Leadership for Change at the University of Cambridge and holds a Masters in Emerging Technologies.
Project: The Fijian Cicade – Nanai
Partners in the project: NatureFiji-MareqetiViti, The National Trust of Fiji
Alexia is focusing on the legend of the Nanai, the Fijian cicada featured on the 100 Fijian dollars note. This rare cicada, which emerges only once every eight years, and because of that very under researched. It is a totem animal for an inland indigenous community and a symbol of prosperity and abundance. When it emerges, it does so in huge numbers, living for only two weeks. Next year marks the next emergence, and Alexia will partner with NatureFiji to turn this into a national event, raising awareness about the need to protect the Nanai and its habitat, which plays a crucial role in Fiji’s ecosystems and cultural heritage.
Since leaving The Galápagos Islands in May 2024 the Oosterschelde has been sailing across the Pacific Ocean, carrying out conservation work with local NGO’s and DARWIN Leaders in Easter Island Chile, Pitcairn Island in the British Overseas Territory Pitcairn Islands, Mangareva in the French Polynesian Gambier Islands, Papeete in the French Polynesian island of Tahiti, Rarotonga the largest of the Cook Islands and is currently exploring the Polynesian kingdom of Tonga ahead sailing to the island nation of Fiji. The ship is expected to arrive in Auckland New Zealand on 1st October ahead of its grand arrival in Sydney Harbour on 14th November 2024.See schedule here.
During his voyage on the HMS Beagle (1831–1836), Charles Darwin visited several Pacific Islands, where he made observations that significantly contributed to his theories on evolution and natural selection. Darwin famously studied finches on the Galápagos Islands, noting how their beak shapes varied from one island to another. These differences were adaptations to the specific food sources available on each island, leading Darwin to theorise about natural selection. In Tahiti, Darwin was struck by the beauty of the island and the friendliness of the Polynesian people. He also observed the lush vegetation and rich biodiversity. He was particularly interested in coral reefs, and his observations in Tahiti contributed to his later work on the formation of coral atolls. He developed a theory that coral reefs form and grow around sinking volcanic islands, eventually creating atolls.
These experiences in the Pacific Islands were crucial in shaping Darwin’s understanding of the natural world and laid the groundwork for his theory of evolution by natural selection, which he would later publish in “On the Origin of Species” (1859).
Sailing Schedule: https://www.dutchtallship.com/sailing-schedule/
Social media: DARWIN200 on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube
Social media: Oosterschelde on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube
This Chapter PR represents press and media for the DARWIN200 and tall ship Oosterschelde. For further information, interviews, images, videos please contact
Alice Dogruyol +44 7939031030 alice.dogruyol@thischapter.co.uk (UK)
Larissa Clark info@thischapter.co.uk
DARWIN200 Ltd and Shipping Company Oosterschelde are both not-for-profit organisations. Darwin Leader places are fully hosted by DARWIN200 and supported by fundraising, grants and sponsorship.
The route: Plymouth, Great-Britain > Tenerife, Spain > Mindelo, São Vicente, Cape Verde > Fernando de Noronha, Brazil > Salvador de Bahía, Brazil > Rio de Janeiro, Brazil > Punta del Este, Uruguay > Puerto Madryn, Argentina > Stanley/Las Malvinas > Punta Arenas, Argentina > Concepción, Chile > Valparaíso, Chile > Callao, Peru > Puerto Lucia, Ecuador > Galápagos Islands, Ecuador > Rapa Nui/Easter Island, Chile > Mangareva, French Polynesia > Papeete, Tahiti, French Polynesia > Rarotonga, Cook Islands > Tonga > Fiji > Auckland, New Zealand > Sydney, Australia > Hobart, Australia > Christchurch, New Zealand > Stanley/Las Malvinas > Cape Town, South Africa > Saint Helena, United Kingdom > Ascension Island, United Kingdom Horta, Azores, Portugal > Horta, Azores, Portugal > Falmouth, UK
BACKGROUND NOTES
Darwin Leaders: Young conservation leadership programme
https://darwin200.com/leaderboard/
Staying on board, while the ship is moored at key ports for one week at a time, will be small groups of the world’s most capable, young naturalists and conservationists, called ‘Darwin Leaders’. Aged between 18 – 27 years old, they are being chosen to complete a life-changing and immersive leadership training programme based on their outstanding demonstration of conservation action. The multinational Darwin Leaders are mentored by local conservation experts who will guide and oversee their efforts. The intention is to drive a valuable exchange of skills, so that the Darwin Leaders return to their home countries empowered with experience and ideas which they will use during the course of their careers in conservation. Darwin Leaders will select a species of animal or plant, assess its population status and how it has changed in the two centuries since Darwin’s visit, learn about conservation initiatives currently in place to protect it and investigate their own ideas to better conserve the chosen species in the future.
Dutch Tall Ship Oosterschelde
https://www.dutchtallship.com/
Oosterschelde is a three mast tall ship, and one of the world’s finest, fully restored historic tall ships and the largest sailing vessel ever to be restored in the Netherlands. She is registered by the Dutch Government as a monument of great cultural and historical value. The ship is one of the oldest and most authentic ships in the international fleet of Tall Ships. Oosterschelde relaunched after a major refurbishment in 1996 and was recommissioned by Her Royal Highness Princess Margriet of The Netherlands. She is a bastion of Dutch ship building and is described by the ship’s Director and Captain Gerben Nab as having had at least five lives, starting in 1917 as a cargo vessel. Over the past 30 years Oosterschelde has welcomed thousands of sailors and adventure seekers on board including royalty, politicians, presidents and pop stars, even once hosting a birthday party for Sir Tom Jones! Oosterschelde was the first Dutch commercial tall ship to sail to both the north and south poles and successfully tackle the infamous Cape Horn, a rocky headland on Hornos Island, in southern Chile known for its hazardous waters. During the pandemic when the world was locked down, a team of Dutch ship builders worked tirelessly to elevate Oosterschelde to the next level in preparation for DARWIN200. As part of the DARWIN200 voyage Oosterschelde will once again navigate Cape Horn, considered the Mount Everest of sailing. Oosterschelde’s Director Gerben Nab says, “I’ve worked all my life to preserve one of the very few truly historic sailing ships left in the world. We can’t wait to set sail on this incredible DARWIN200 voyage and share it with as many people as possible around the world, inspiring change-makers into action to protect our beautiful planet”.
Patrons and Supporters
DARWIN200 has been ten years in the making. Patrons and supporters include Dame Jane Goodall, Dr. Sylvia Earle and Dr. Sarah Darwin, Charles Darwin’s great-great-granddaughter.
Dame Jane Goodall, Patron of DARWIN200 says
I believe that this project is tremendously important. It comes at the right time. We all know we’re in the midst of the sixth great extinction with a lot of doom and gloom about the problems facing the environment, climate change and loss of biodiversity. This voyage will give many people an opportunity to see there is still time to make change. We all have a role to play. We can all help make a difference. But for those young environmentalists who are selected, this is an incredible opportunity to become real leaders that protect the planet and the environment for future generations.
Adventure seekers can sail the ship
https://www.dutchtallship.com/sailing-schedule/
The voyage legs range in duration, from a single day, to the longest being an epic 5,300 nautical miles and taking 48 days to Cape Horn. Previous sailing experience is not required for those wanting to join in but a passion for adventure is a must. From Chile’s glacial fjords to the tropical islands of Polynesia, it will enable over 640 sailors and adventure seekers to go to sea over 32 voyage legs as hands-on guest crew, 24 at a time, sailing, steering and navigating the ship alongside researchers on board one of the world’s most beautiful historic vessels. They’ll sail the three-masted schooner Oosterschelde from port-to-port across four continents, taking part in citizen science initiatives along the way to some of the most beautiful corners of the world.
The World’s Most Exciting Classroom
https://worldsmostexcitingclassroom.com/
In continuation of Charles Darwin’s work aboard HMS Beagle, the DARWIN200 ship offers a unique platform to support research into many of the world’s most critical environmental problems. This includes eight engaging research projects, featuring real-time data feeds, informative results presentations, interactive online lectures, and insightful interviews with the talented teams of researchers driving each initiative. Four research projects will be undertaken aboard the tall ship Oosterschelde while it is sailing, the other four will be undertaken in the ports that we visit. Through these research projects, DARWIN200 aims to captivate global audiences, particularly students, enabling the public to delve into and gain deeper insights into some of the world’s most critical environmental challenges.
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