Waves of Change: MSC Foundation Brings Ocean Cay’s Lessons to the World Stage
The Power of Philanthropy at Sea
If you’ve ever sailed past Ocean Cay and marveled at its crystal-clear waters, here’s a bit of good news that’ll make your heart as warm as a Caribbean sunset. The MSC Foundation just wrapped up an inspiring week at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi—sharing how their island paradise is helping reshape marine conservation worldwide.
The Congress, held every four years, gathers leaders in science, government, and philanthropy to chart the course for a more sustainable planet. This year, MSC Foundation’s Executive Director, Daniela Picco, joined five key sessions from the IUCN Philanthropy Summit to Regenerative Coastal Tourism workshops spotlighting how tourism and conservation can thrive together.
Her message? Restoration and relaxation don’t have to be at odds. Drawing on MSC’s incredible transformation of Ocean Cay in The Bahamas, once an industrial site, now a lush marine haven, the Foundation showcased its coral restoration projects, student training programs, and eco-education initiatives for guests and locals alike.
Ocean Cay in The Bahamas
Since 2023, the Foundation has partnered with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to assess coral species and ecosystems for the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, a sort of “health check-up for nature.” The goal: identify what’s under threat and take action before it’s too late.
“Philanthropy allows us to pilot and scale solutions that connect people with nature,” said Picco. “On Ocean Cay, we’re seeing that restoration and tourism can coexist, when guided by science and long-term vision.”
Echoing that optimism, Dr. Grethel Aguilar, IUCN’s Director General, praised the growing collaboration between philanthropy and conservation, calling it “the beginning of a new chapter” for a nature-positive, climate-resilient world.
From coral nurseries to conference halls, the MSC Foundation is proving that when you mix heart, science, and a little island sunshine, you can make waves that reach far beyond the shoreline.