The Crown Princess attends the UN Ocean Conference

Blue Finance seminar

The Crown Princess began her visit by attending a side event focusing on how fisheries financing can be steered towards a so-called blue economy by creating the right conditions for profitable marine investments.

Swedish-Finnish event on sustainable shipping

The Crown Princess then took place in a side event, 'Joining the dots between sustainable maritime logistics and planetary boundaries', at which Minister for International Development Cooperation Matilda Ernkrans gave an opening speech. During the event, Sweden and Finland demonstrated how the two countries are at the cutting edge of developing sustainable shipping solutions.

The morning concluded with The Crown Princess listening to a dialogue about how sustainable marine-based economies – especially in developing countries on small islands – can be strengthened.

After lunch, The Crown Princess and Minister for International Development Cooperation Matilda Ernkrans visited a stand at which the Keep Sweden Tidy organisation presented the digital game 'No time to waste – escape the plastic pollution'.

The Crown Princess and the Minister for International Development Cooperation then met Sylvia Earle, President and Chairman of Mission Blue/the Sylvia Earle Alliance for discussions on the oceans and the research carried out by Dr Earle.

The day concluded with The Crown Princess and Minister Ernkrans attending Ambassador Helena Pilsas's reception at the Swedish Residence in Lisbon.

Breakfast meeting on coral reefs

The Crown Princess began the second day of the conference by taking part in a breakfast meeting arranged by the International Coral Reef Initiative, at which the actions required to save the coral reefs were described and an action plan for the next three years was presented.

The Crown Princess and Ambassador Pilsas were then given a guided walking tour of Alfama, one of Lisbon's oldest areas.

Launch of the SeaBOS report

SeaBOS (Seafood Business for Ocean Stewardship) is a partnership between researchers and ten of the world's biggest fishing and shellfish companies. SeaBOS aims to drive global work for the sustainable production of fish and shellfish, and for healthy oceans.

At an event during the conference, SeaBOS launched its report on the work carried out during the five years since the start of the initiative. As part of the launch, The Crown Princess gave a speech in which she said:

We need to see action that inspires hope. We need to believe that change is possible. And we need our children and grandchildren to know they can count on us. That the promises we make are promises that will be kept.”

HRH The Crown Princess

In the afternoon, President of Portugal Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa received The Crown Princess during an audience at the National Palace of Belém.

The Crown Princess then visited the Jerónimos Monastery, where she was given a guided tour. The monastery is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and has played a key role in the history of Portugal.

In the evening, The Crown Princess attended a high-level dinner with Friends of the Ocean at Lisbon Oceanarium. The dinner was hosted by the Government of Portugal and Ambassador Peter Thomson, UN SG Special Envoy for the Ocean.