Monaco Hosts the Traveling Photo Exhibition Sanctuaire Pelagos, from April 1 to June 15, 2025

Presented by We Are Méditerranée, the photographic exhibition Sanctuaire Pelagos will be held at the Galerie des Pêcheurs in Monaco, offering the public an immersive experience at the heart of an extraordinary marine ecosystem.

Through a selection of striking images, the exhibition highlights the richness and fragility of the Pelagos Sanctuary—a unique protected marine area in the Mediterranean.

Home to iconic species such as dolphins, sperm whales, and sea turtles, the Pelagos Sanctuary is a transboundary space that underscores the urgent need for international cooperation to protect marine biodiversity.

The exhibition aims to raise awareness about conservation challenges and the threats facing this natural heritage, while showcasing its beauty through the lens of photographer Greg Lecoeur and the insights of scientists dedicated to its preservation. It is an invitation to explore, understand, and take action for the Mediterranean.

At the Intersection of Science and the Public, We Are Méditerranée is an association founded by wildlife photographer Greg Lecoeur with the mission of reconnecting people with nature. By combining exploration, art, science, and education, it seeks to promote the Mediterranean’s marine heritage through photography—inviting wonder, curiosity, and awareness of the beauty and fragility of the marine world.

Following the Expédition Pelagos project, this photo collection has evolved into a traveling exhibition. It was first unveiled in summer 2024 on the Promenade des Anglais in Nice. It will be shown at the Port of Genoa from March 3 to May 3, 2025, to help increase awareness of the Sanctuary’s exceptional biodiversity in Italy.

The Mediterranean: A Biodiversity Hotspot Under Pressure

Although it covers only 0.8% of the world’s ocean surface, the Mediterranean Sea is home to approximately 17,000 species—more than 10% of known marine biodiversity—making it one of the richest regions on Earth. Yet this extraordinary ecosystem is under severe threat.

The Mediterranean coastline is home to over 500 million people and attracts around 360 million tourists annually—nearly one-third of global tourism. This human pressure causes major impacts: plastic pollution (8–12 million tons of plastic are dumped into the sea every year), overfishing, and intense maritime traffic (30% of global shipping), which leads to increased risks of collisions and noise pollution.

Additionally, the Mediterranean is the fastest-warming region in the world after the Arctic. In recent years, marine heatwaves have severely disrupted ecosystems that have thrived for millennia. Iconic species such as the Mediterranean monk seal and the angel shark, once abundant, are now on the verge of extinction. Other emblematic species are also in decline and require urgent attention.

Expédition Pelagos: Understanding to Protect

The Expédition Pelagos project seeks to reveal the existence and ecological wealth of the Pelagos Sanctuary—the largest protected marine area in the Mediterranean (87,500 km²). Established in 1999 through an international agreement between France, Italy, and the Principality of Monaco, the Sanctuary aims to ensure favorable conservation conditions for marine mammals and their habitats. Yet, 25 years after its creation, it remains little-known to the general public. Raising awareness of its importance is key to protecting its extraordinary biodiversity.

Thanks to its unique geographical location, the Sanctuary’s waters are biologically rich, with high plankton productivity—a fundamental base of the marine food chain. This abundance attracts a wide variety of species, including many marine mammals.

Between 2023 and 2024, naturalist and scientific expeditions aboard a catamaran explored the Sanctuary, conducting photographic surveys and scientific missions to improve understanding and conservation of this fragile ecosystem.

Expédition Pelagos was made possible through financial support from: the French Water Agency, the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, the Pelagos Initiative, the French Biodiversity Office, the PACA Region, the Sea Foundation, and ACCOBAMS.

WE ARE MÉDITERRANÉE: Imagery in Service of Science and Education

We Are Méditerranée is a nonprofit organization (under France’s 1901 law) founded by internationally renowned wildlife photographer Greg Lecoeur, a specialist in marine ecosystems. The association’s mission is to explore and promote the biodiversity of the Mediterranean Sea through naturalist expeditions, scientific missions, and educational outreach.

By combining art, science, and environmental education, the association seeks to offer a comprehensive vision of the Mediterranean—an ocean basin facing intense human pressure and climate change—while inspiring awe and raising awareness for its exceptional marine heritage.

We Are Méditerranée invites collective reflection on our consumption habits and behaviors, with the goal of reducing our environmental impact and preserving these marine treasures for future generations.

From the tiniest organisms to the largest creatures, the emotionally resonant images reveal the Mediterranean’s hidden richness, showcasing emblematic species such as the fin whale (the world’s second-largest cetacean), pilot whales, loggerhead turtles, mobula rays, blue sharks, argonauts, and many more.

Traveling Photo Exhibition: Sanctuaire Pelagos

The images captured during Expédition Pelagos—revealing a sea teeming with life and rivaling the world’s greatest oceans—were showcased in 2024 through publications and awareness-raising initiatives, including a giant outdoor exhibition on the Promenade des Anglais in Nice from June to October 2024.

This traveling exhibition, aimed at raising awareness of the Pelagos Sanctuary and its remarkable biodiversity, will be displayed in Italy at the Port of Genoa, on the aquarium’s esplanade, from March 3 to May 3, 2025.

It will then be installed at the Galerie des Pêcheurs in Monaco from April to June 2025, coinciding with the 3rd United Nations Ocean Conference.

About Greg Lecoeur

Inspired by an encounter with pilot whales 20 years ago, this Mediterranean native from Nice chose to dedicate his life to photography and scuba diving. His images are published in both French and international media outlets (National Geographic, Le Figaro, Geo, BBC Wildlife, etc.).

A committed and internationally recognized artist, his work has received numerous awards, including the prestigious National Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year in 2016. He uses photography as a universal and timeless form of expression to tell the stories of the oceans. Through his visual style, he aims to move and engage the public in marine conservation, inviting them to take action to protect ocean life.

After exploring all the world’s oceans, Greg returns to his first love—to share the wonders of a Mediterranean Sea full of life!