Protect Our Future Champions Ocean Conservation at Mission Blue

“Champions of the Blue” Hope Spot Celebration in Nice, France

Representatives Thomas Dickens and Connor Childs from Protect Our
Future (POF), alongside Rickeem Lashley from Sustainable Cayman,
proudly attended the prestigious Mission Blue “Champions of the Blue”
Hope Spot Celebration on June 9th in Nice, France. The event, hosted
in parallel with the United Nations Oceans Conference 3 (UNOC3),
brought together an extraordinary gathering of ocean advocates,
including scientists, filmmakers, journalists, policy leaders,
business innovators, and government representatives from around the
world.

This global convening celebrated the progress of Hope Spots—critical
areas designated for ocean conservation—while issuing a unified call
for urgent and ambitious protection of our blue planet. The room was
filled with a palpable sense of purpose and optimism, as voices from
every sector affirmed the shared responsibility to safeguard ocean
ecosystems.

Dr. Sylvia Earle—renowned oceanographer and founder of Mission
Blue—congratulated the people of the Cayman Islands for their landmark
decision to reject a proposed cruise birthing port through an
overwhelming “no” vote in the recent referendum. “Bravo,” Dr. Earle
declared, “it is easy to not stand out and really speak for nature,
speak for the ocean… We do need ports, we do need transportation;
but it is how you do it, where you do it, and why you do it.”

Reflecting on the evening, former POF leader Thomas Dickens remarked:

“It was a privilege to stand in a room of people who have dedicated
their lives to something bigger than themselves. What we’re learning,
and what we hope to carry forward, is that protecting the ocean is not
just about resisting bad decisions—it’s about having the foresight to
imagine better ones.

In Cayman, we said no to a development project not because we oppose
growth, but because we believe in a smarter kind of growth—one that
values ecosystems not as obstacles to progress, but as essential
infrastructure for it. Coral reefs, clean coastlines, thriving marine
life—these are not luxuries; they’re capital assets in any sustainable
economy.

Conservation isn’t a pause on development; it’s a strategy for a
livable future. The costs of inaction are mounting, and the social
returns on protecting biodiversity are profound. Our generation has a
responsibility to shift the decision-making lens from short-term
profits to long-term resilience. That’s exactly what we’re here to do
in Nice.”

The presence of Cayman’s youth at both the Mission Blue celebration
and this year’s UN Oceans Conference —where on the 12th of June
Rickeem will be presenting—signals the growing role of youth in
international environmental dialogue. As part of a wider global
movement, POF’s involvement reflects a broader shift toward including
younger voices in conversations about conservation, sustainability,
and climate resilience. For the Cayman Islands, it was a moment to
quietly contribute to a larger, collective effort—to listen, to share,
and to learn from others working across science, policy, and activism.
While small in size, Cayman’s recent experiences in marine protection
offer valuable insights into how community-led action can inform
decision-making in ocean governance.
—
POF
protectourfuturecayman@gmail.com
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