STOP IN NICE AS PART OF THE 3RD UNITED NATIONS OCEAN CONFERENCE
Race for Water continues its Mediterranean campaign of the Ocean and Climate Odyssey with a second stopover in Nice. From June 2 to 4, 2025, the MODX 70 ambassador vessel, a catamaran with zero emissions and no noise, will join the fleet of Ocean Wonders as part of the 3rd United Nations Ocean Conference. Public conferences, ship tours, and citizen engagement initiatives are all on the agenda for this major event dedicated to the Ocean.
l A COMMITTED COLLABORATION WITH GÉNÉRATION MER
As part of the project “The New Explorers, Guardians of the Ocean”, and with the support of the Fondation de France, our vessel, alongside six other members of the Génération Mer Expedition Cluster, will take part in the United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC).
This partnership reflects our shared commitment to raising public awareness about the critical challenges surrounding ocean preservation. Our vessels, true ambassadors of the ocean, carry dreams, adventure, and solutions. As floating platforms for outreach, innovation, and research, they offer an immersive space to educate, inspire, and mobilize citizens, engage decision-makers, and amplify the key messages of the United Nations.
Convinced that only an engaged, interdisciplinary collaboration can address the complex challenges of the triple planetary crisis, climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss, we will collectively present a program of activities accessible to all audiences. Onboard educational experiences, particularly for school groups and the general public, will showcase how each expedition works to study, raise awareness, and take action for the ocean. Visitors will explore a wide range of ocean-related issues, with each expedition focusing on specific topics such as plastic pollution, the ocean-climate nexus, maritime transport decarbonization, overexploitation of marine resources, and the unique challenges facing polar regions.
The vessels involved in this initiative are : 7th Continent, Race For Water, MAEWAN, Expédition MED, Wings of the Ocean, We Explore, and PERSÉVÉRANCE.
All available public tour slots for the vessels in the Expedition Cluster are regularly updated at this link.
l FOCUS ON THE RACE FOR WATER FOUNDATION’S PROGRAM
During this stopover, a program of activities will be offered for all audiences.
l EDUCATIONAL TOURS AND SHIP VISITS
During the stopover in Nice, from June 2 to 4, school groups and the general public will have the opportunity to explore the ship and its innovations through exclusive guided tours, led by Raphaël Lambot, captain of the vessel, and Emilie Garros, deck officer.
Interactive workshops in collaboration with La Fresque Océane will also be offered, allowing participants to delve into the close connections between Ocean and Climate.
KEY INFORMATION :
Date : Please refer to the schedule above
Location : On board the MODX 70 vessel, Port Lympia, Quai Entrecasteaux, Nice
Please arrive at the boat 10 minutes before your chosen time slot to allow group formation. Maximum of 15 people per visit slot.
l FREE CONFERENCES OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
Two free conferences open to the general public will also be held to raise awareness and mobilize support for ocean preservation. They will be held at the Palais des Expositions, renamed ‘La Baleine’, for this occasion, and entirely dedicated to raising public awareness about the Ocean.
l POSIDONIA SEAGRASS : A LOCAL TREASURE TO PRESERVE FOR THE OCEAN AND THE CLIMATE
On Thursday, June 2nd, from 12:45 PM to 1:30 PM, the conference “Posidonia Seagrass : A Local Treasure to Preserve for the Ocean and the Climate” will be hosted by Patrick Astruch, research engineer at GIS Posidonie, and Camille Rollin, coordinator of the Ocean and Climate Odyssey at Race For Water.
KEY INFORMATION :
Date : June 2nd, 12:45 PM – 1:30 PM
Location : Site de la Baleine, Agora Neptune Room, Palais des Expositions, Parvis de l’Europe, Nice
Registration link (select the corresponding date and time) : we-are-the-ocean.com/register
This conference will highlight the multiple ecological services provided by seagrass meadows : carbon storage, coastal protection, and habitat for a rich and diverse fauna. Patrick Astruch will share his expertise to illustrate these issues, focusing particularly on Posidonia, an emblematic Mediterranean species. He will also present best practices and existing solutions to preserve these essential ecosystems in the face of growing threats. It will also be an opportunity to provide a mid-term update and announce the first results of the Posidonia Mission. Launched on May 9th from Marseille, this scientific campaign aims to locate historic markers installed about 40 years ago, whose monitoring stopped in 2004, to better understand the evolution of the Posidonia seagrass, a true pillar of marine biodiversity.
l CONFERENCE : “TALES FROM THE OPEN SEA: TESTIMONIES OF THE OCEAN’S WONDERS”
On June 3rd, from 2:30 PM to 3:00 PM, the Race for Water Foundation will participate in the program “Tales from the Open Sea: Testimonies of the Ocean’s Wonders” to share its commitments, present its new ambassador vessel currently in Nice, as well as the Ocean and Climate Odyssey whose first mission continues until June 10th.
KEY INFORMATION :
Date : June 3rd, 2:30 PM – 3:00 PM
Location : Site de la Baleine, Agora Neptune Room, Palais des Expositions, Parvis de l’Europe, Nice
Registration link (select the corresponding date and time): we-are-the-ocean.com/register
This conference will be hosted by Marco Simeoni, founder and president of Race For Water, and Camille Rollin, coordinator of the Ocean and Climate Odyssey.