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Date: August 10, 2004
Location: Athens, Greece

“Healthy planet, clean ocean critical to world peace and security”

Ancient Greek ruins serve as a dramatic backdrop as Tony Diamantidis, Athens Environmental Foundation, Jean-Michel Cousteau and Eric Falt, UNEP embrace the Olympic flame. Photo credit: Nan Marr, Ocean Futures Society

ATHENS, GREECE: Jean-Michel Cousteau once again carried the torch for world environmental concerns at ceremonies preceding the opening of the 2004 Summer Olympics as they return to the place where the games began.

“Environmental responsibility is the third pillar of the Olympic Charter along with Sport and Culture,” Cousteau said. “Only by maintaining a healthy planet and a clean ocean can humankind hope for peace and security around the world.”

Cousteau, who was named the first ever Ambassador for the Environment at 2002 Olympic Games in Salt Lake City, UT., USA, carried the Olympic flame on foot in Kalyvia, Greece, southeast of the Athens airport. Joined by members of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and the Athens Environmental Foundation (AEF) in the torch run, Cousteau then planted an olive tree at the Kalyvia City Hall in honor of the Olympic homecoming and the Global Olive Wreath project of the AEF.

“We hope to light a fire inside all the people of the world to care for our natural environment and improve the conditions of our planet,” Cousteau said. “At a time when the world is focused on security and peaceful resolution of world conflicts, we must continue to make the world aware that Earth itself is at risk everyday because of our actions and our resistance to change.”

On June 5th, Cousteau led a team of 100 divers in a coastal underwater cleanup in a harbor off Athens in honor of World Environment Day. The divers brought to the surface or tagged a multitude of discarded refuse from cars and bicycles to household machinery and tires. The effort was initiated by AEF in partnership with the Athens 2004 Organizing Committee.

Jean-Michel Cousteau’s Ocean Future Society has allied with AEF and UNEP on a number of projects that support environmental awareness and education surrounding these Olympic Games. AEF’s Global Olive Wreath project is an olive tree-planting effort along the Olympic torch route in many cities around the world. Millions of children in 70 countries have already taken part in tree planting events that mark the Olympic ideals.

This is not the first time Cousteau and his OFS team have been involved in the Olympics. As a young man, Cousteau dreamed of going to the Olympics as an athlete in the 1,500-meter track event. Although he did not make the final round of three athletes who went on to represent France, he never gave up his passion for the Games.

In 2002, Cousteau was honored by being named the first Ambassador for the Environment for Olympic Games, and carried the Olympic flag into the stadium during the opening ceremonies in Salt Lake City. He was accompanied by such world dignitaries as Archbishop Desmond Tutu (Africa), John Glenn (The Americas), Kazuyoshi Funaki (Asia), Lech Walesa (Europe), Cathy Freeman (Oceania), Jean-Claude Killy (Sport), and Steven Spielberg (Culture). The Salt Lake City Organizing Committee was the first to incorporate protection and enhancement of the environment as a central goal of the Olympic Games.

“As the world gathers together to watch and applaud great athletes from across the globe compete and excel through sacrifice, hard work and discipline, so too must we as world cultures do the same for the safety of our planet,” Cousteau said. “Here in Greece, where mythology tells us Atlas was forced to carry the weight of the heavens and Earth upon his shoulders, we must carry the weight of the Earth’s future on our shoulders.”

The mission of Jean-Michel Cousteau’s Ocean Futures Society is to explore our global ocean, inspire and educate people throughout the world to act responsibly for its protection, documenting the critical connection between humanity and nature, and celebrating the ocean’s vital importance to the survival of all life on the planet. OFS is based in Santa Barbara, CA. with offices in Paris and Italy. For more information about the endeavors of Jean-Michel Cousteau and OFS, visit our website at www.oceanfutures.org. More information about Athens Environmental Foundation can be found at www.athensenvironmental.org or via email at info@athensenvironmental.org.

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