Welcome to the IOI
"In 1967 when Arvid Pardo, the great ambassador from
the tiny island of Malta, held his famous speech on
the oceans before the United Nations, our utopia
converged with reality: the world's oceans and seabeds
should become the common heritage of mankind, and,
in the interest of present and future generations,
should be fostered and administered exclusively to
peaceful ends."
Mann Borgese, E. (1999) 'Was kommt hinter dem Horizont?', mare – Magazine of the Oceans, mareverlag GmbH & Co. OHG, No. 16, pp. 33.
Elisabeth Mann Borgese, Founder (© Heike Ollertz)
Message from the President of IOI
The International Ocean Institute is the legacy of its founder Prof Elisabeth Mann Borgese who devoted the best part of her life to the inspiring and worthy mission of integrating the ethical and moral dimension into the global governance dimension. She helped to fashion the constitution of the ocean – the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) – as an instrument for the peaceful use of ocean services and resources for the benefit of all humankind.
The direct impact of the human imprint on the ocean, combined with the interdependent nexus of ocean and climate change calls for a new vision and a new direction in the sustainable governance of the ocean, its seas and their resources.
Today I invite you to share with us an exciting and challenging journey by making your own contribution to improve the sustainability of the ocean and thus promote peace and development worldwide. There are many ways by which you can become involved with us so please take the time to visit our website, learn more about what the International Ocean Institute does and how you can be a part of this great venture.
Mr. Nikolaus Gelpke