Fundatur donates 300,000 euros to the conservation of the Balearic Sea

Fundatur donates 300,000 euros to the conservation of the Balearic Sea

The Fundatur Foundation and the Marilles Foundation have signed an agreement for 300,000 euros to be support marine conservation projects in the Balearic Islands over the next 30 months. The Marilles Foundation - a non-profit organization that works to transform the Balearic Islands into a world reference in marine conservation - will be in charge of managing the donation.

The funds will be used entirely to support three strategic projects for the long-term protection of the Balearic Sea:

Bringing people closer to the sea through the power of images and creating a positive story to involve them in its protection. This includes two projects: MARE (A new audiovisual competition for the conservation of the Balearic sea) - launched last July 9th along with other organizations and entities committed to marine conservation and nature photography and video - and the production of a television series about the marine diversity and beauty of the sea.

The State of the Balearic Sea report, a collaborative initiative involving all the marine research centres in the Balearic Islands, aims to assess the environmental status of the Balearic Sea and its evolution over time. The first Balearic Sea Report was launched on 11th March 2020.

A Balearic-wide marine citizen science programme that Marilles is developing together with Observadores del Mar (Sew-watchers). Citizen science meets the double objective of collecting valuable data and essential information in a cost-effective way whilst engaging key sectors such as fisheries, boating and tourism in marine conservation projects.

The agreement was signed by Carmen Serra, representing Fundatur, and Aniol Esteban, director of the Marilles Foundation.

Carmen Serra, Fundatur: "A clean and well-preserved sea is critical for tourism in the Balearics. At Fundatur we want to promote the conservation of the Balearic Sea and we are very happy to do so through the Marilles Foundation, an entity that in a short time has demonstrated its efficiency and professionalism. We hope that other foundations will join us in the goal of conserving the Balearic Sea".

Aniol Esteban, director of the Marilles Foundation: "The value of the grant provided by Fundatur goes beyond its generous economic contribution. It is the first major donation we have received from the islands (until now the support came from outside) and it sends a courageous message at a time of crisis: conserving the sea is a priority if we want to ensure the prosperity and welfare of the citizens of the Balearic Islands. Marilles is a fund for the conservation of the Balearic Sea open to other foundations and private donors. We hope that the donation from Fundatur will help us to add more donors in the near future".

Investing in marine conservation

The Marilles Foundation is a fund for the conservation of the Balearic Sea open to other foundations and private donors. It works to maximize the impact of every euro donated on the conservation of the Balearic Sea. It advises those who wish to effectively allocate funds to achieve their philanthropic goals. As a foundation, its main objective is to ensure that all funding has maximum impact where it is most needed. Its core costs are covered, so every euro donated to Marilles goes entirely to projects for the conservation of the Balearic Islands.

The first large donation from the Balearic Islands

Fundatur is the first foundation in the Balearic Islands to contribute a significant amount to marine conservation. Since Marilles began working - just three years ago - it has received funding from foundations from outside the islands, all of them with an impressive track record of conservation work in and around the Mediterranean. Fundadur's initiative to participate in this fund at a time of crisis makes it clear that marine conservation must be at the heart of the economic recovery of the Balearic Islands.

Fundatur – the Balearic Islands Tourist and Cultural Foundation - has been financing various cultural projects in the Balearic Islands, ranging from restoring the walls of the city of Ibiza, to the recovery of the Hospital de la Isla del Rey in Menorca, as well as various projects in Mallorca. All of them aimed at the conservation of the cultural heritage of our islands. It is made up of relevant personalities from the business world of the Balearic Islands.