Press Releases

President of Cabo Verde joins DARWIN200 aboard the tall ship Oosterschelde.

On September 16th, 2023, the DARWIN200 team was honoured to welcome His Excellency José Maria Pereira Neve, President of Cabo Verde aboard the historic tall ship Oosterschelde.

Upon boarding, the President hoisted the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science flag. The DARWIN200 mission is an official contributor to the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development 2021-2030 and in June 2023 Cabo Verde President H.E. José Maria Pereira Neves became the newest Patron of the Ocean Decade Alliance, amplifying the country’s role in global ocean action.

The President then sailed aboard the DARWIN200 historic tall ship Oosterschelde with our team of Darwin Leaders from the island of Santo Antao to Sao Vincente.

The President was really interested in the projects our seven Darwin Leaders have been undertaking over the last week in partnership with local NGOs Biosfera and TerriMar. The projects cover the conservation of sharks, rays, turtles, endemic plants, seabirds, a critically endangered endemic reptile and the issue of plastic waste washing ashore.

DARWIN200 Project Leader Stewart McPherson

On the evening of September 17th, the President attended a presentation event during which each Darwin Leader provided an overview of their findings and showcased one of the three films that they are making concerning their conservation subjects.

Historic tall ship Oosterschelde has been in the Port of Mindelo in São Vicente, Cabo Verde for a week of conservation leadership programmes having sailed 850 nautical miles from Tenerife. It’s the second of 32 ports to be visited during DARWIN200, a two-year 40,000+ nautical mile voyage and conservation mission. The Darwin200 Global Voyage is retracing Charles Darwin’s famous journey on HMS Beagle and aims to change the world for the better by empowering 200 next-gen leaders of conservation.