April 7, 2023
Featured images: Sea Hub of Environmental Learning in Laamu © Shannon Rake
(LAAMU ATOLL, SOUTHERN MALDIVES) –
Congratulations to Six Senses Laamu, Hope Spot Champions for Laamu Atoll who celebrated the grand opening of the Sea Hub for Environmental Learning in Laamu (SHELL) on March 1, 2023. The SHELL will house the Maldives Underwater Initiative (MUI), a marine conservation collaborative consisting of Six Senses Laamu marine biologists and partner NGOs, The Manta Trust, Blue Marine Foundation and the Olive Ridley Project.
Marteyne van Well, Regional General Manager, says, “Healing the ocean requires understanding first. The environmentalist Baba Dioum once said, ‘In the end, we will conserve only what we love; we will love only what we understand, and we will understand only what we are taught.’ So, let us teach; let us educate the new generation on the importance of nature conservation. This is the vision behind the Sea Hub for Environmental Learning in Laamu; to engage the hearts and minds of our guests, our local communities, and our hosts. Our wish is for us and our owners, HPL Hotels & Resorts, to leave a legacy in the Laamu Atoll, where science and leisure come together with one goal: to discover more and be inspired to protect our oceans.”
The SHELL is a multi-use space designed for guest education and for offering curated and immersive marine conservation experiences. The 2,336 square-foot (217 square-meter) central exhibition space invites guests to explore the colorful and vibrant local marine life during out-of-the-ordinary encounters. The MUI team will be offering hands-on guest activities and presentations parallel to their research, conservation efforts, and initiatives. The SHELL will also feature designated facilities for hosting world-class researchers to further expand MUI’s ambitious goal to see sustainable resource management in Laamu.
The Interactive Room is designed for everyone to discover the secrets of Laamu and the underwater world. Highlights include an augmented reality sandbox which allows the users to change and redesign habitats and topography using projection mapping technology, and the ‘Draw Alive’, where participants will be able to color-in their favorite marine creatures and watch them come alive on a large screen with the help of advanced animation technology to watch them swim and move throughout a virtual world.
Dr. Sylvia Earle shared, “The Sea Hub of Environmental Learning in Laamu shows the commitment of the resort to protect the environment around Laamu and beyond. It’s exciting to see one of the largest teams of resort marine biologists in the Maldives expanding their research and education programs. This new center will provide a platform for the team to educate and inspire the next generation of ocean protectors through incredible immersive experiences – one of a kind in the Maldives. The development from becoming a Hope Spot in 2021, to having six Marine Protected Areas designated in Laamu later that year, and now having a world-class facility for research and education, is truly reason for hope.”
About Six Senses Laamu
Six Senses Laamu is the only luxury resort in the Laamu Atoll. Deep in the Indian Ocean, it is surrounded by a beautiful coral house reef. Most of the villas and facilities are built within the lagoon; however, beach villas and on-land dining are also available. All villas offer a sense of privacy and seclusion, with an amazing view of the ocean and Maldivian nature.
About Maldives Underwater Initiative
The Maldives Underwater Initiative (MUI) is a multiple award-winning marine conservation initiative based at Six Senses Laamu. MUI consists of staff from the resort, as well as its three partner NGOs: The Manta Trust, Blue Marine Foundation and The Olive Ridley Project, all of whom work together to reach research, guest education and community outreach goals.
