The French Initiative for Coral Reefs (IFRECOR) awards 2018 is a national prize giving ceremony aimed at rewarding French overseas representatives (local Mayors, MP’s, town counsellors), for their exemplary actions to protect and/or to sustainably manage coral reefs, mangroves and seagrass beds, and to share this work.
For the IYOR 2018, the 7th edition of IFRECOR awards is different. 3 representatives will be rewarded, one for each ocean in which France has an overseas territory (Indian ocean, Pacific ocean, Atlantic ocean). Their applications were submitted by local IFRECOR committees between mid-August and October the 10th. The decision was based on:
- The representative’s level of impact in one or various conservation projects;
- The support of coral reef protection measures in budgetary decision-making;
- Public support for coral reef conservation in speeches, as well as spreading coral reef protection urgency through the media.
The award ceremony will be held on November the 20th in the presence of the Minister of Overseas Territories of the French Republic, Annick Girardin, who will welcome the overseas mayors at the French Ministry of Overseas Territories. The awarded representatives will each receive a unique handmade trophy by artist Aude Bourgine and will present their work in favour of coral reefs during a 5-minute speech for their overseas peers and other representatives.
Through the award ceremony, the hope is to mobilize all local decision-makers from France’s overseas territories around coral reef protection. Their involvement is crucial to addressing coral reef degradation at a local level.
This event is open to invitees only.