Mayor of Newport shows support to the adoption of a Universal Declaration of Ocean Rights; challenges The Ocean Race upcoming stopover city, Aarhus, Denmark
Xay Khamsyvoravong today challenged Mayor of Aarhus:
“We need everyone to help give the ocean a voice”
L-R: Jacob Bundsgaard, Mayor of Aarhus, Denmark; Xay Khamsyvoravong, Mayor of Newport, and Richard Brisius, Race Chairman at The Ocean Race.
Newport – Mayor of Newport, Xay Khamsyvoravong, today signed an official letter in support of a Universal Declaration of Ocean Rights, an initiative championed by The Ocean Race and partners – including the Government of Cabo Verde and US-based Earth Law Center.
“Newport is America’s sailing capital and our economy and community revolve around the sea. The Ocean Race has given our community a chance to reflect on how important it is that we act to protect the health and sustainability of our seas. I am proud to sign this Declaration of Support for Ocean Rights on behalf of the City and the Council, which earlier this month unanimously passed a resolution of support,” Xay Khamsyvoravong said.
He also challenged Jacob Bundsgaard, the Mayor of the upcoming The Ocean Race stopover, Aarhus, Denmark, to publicly back this global initiative, aimed at giving the ocean a voice and gather global support for the adoption of a Universal Declaration of Ocean Rights by 2030:
“We need everyone to help give the ocean a voice. I am asking the Mayor of Aarhus to consider joining Newport in signing this Declaration of Support for Ocean Rights, just as the Mayor of Itajai sent the sailors off to Newport asking us to consider the same.”
Mayor of Aarhus Jacob Bundsgaard said: “I am very happy to accept the call to ensure a better marine environment. Denmark is a seafaring nation. Throughout time, the Danes have lived with, on and off the sea. But we must recognize that however beautiful it looks above water, life below the surface in the inland Danish waters is under pressure.
Vast areas, where it once teemed with life and where the eel grass spread like underwater forests to the delight of birds, fish, and all kinds of living creatures, are today a shadow of themselves or reduced to barren deserts that need first aid. Together with several neighboring municipalities, which together have more than 620 km of coastline, we are now acting. We want to ensure better solutions and increase ambitions in the work for the marine environment. We want to, can, and must lead the fight to strengthen the blue nature.”
The Newport stopover was co-hosted by Sail Newport, Rhode Island’s public sailing center, the State of Rhode Island and 11th Hour Racing, the Newport-based global sustainability organisation focused on restoring the health of the planet’s oceans.
Leg 5 sees the fleet return to Europe via a double points, 3,500-nautical mile, (4,028-mile/6,482-kilometre) transatlantic dash from Newport, around the top of the British Isles, and into Denmark’s second largest city, Aarhus.
The Ocean Race started from Alicante, Spain, on 15 January 2023 and will end in Genova The Grand Finale in June 2023. It consists of seven legs with stopovers in eight cities around the world: Mindelo, Cabo Verde; Cape Town, South Africa; Itajaí, Brazil; Newport, Rhode Island, USA; Aarhus, Denmark; and The Hague, The Netherlands.
L-R: Xay Khamsyvoravong, Mayor of Newport, hands official support to Richard Brisius, Race Chairman at The Ocean Race.
