UNESCO and Relais & Châteaux Launch Sustainable Development Partnership to Enhance Biodiversity

UNESCO and Relais & Châteaux Aim for Sustainable Development

In a groundbreaking initiative, UNESCO has announced a partnership with the renowned association Relais & Châteaux. This collaboration is aimed at fostering sustainable development while focusing on biodiversity conservation—using culinary traditions and hospitality knowledge from around the world as a foundation for their projects.

The agreement signifies a strategic alignment between the two organizations, highlighting the urgency of addressing accelerating environmental degradation. UNESCO's Director-General, Audrey Azoulay, emphasized the alarming fact that out of eight million identified species, one million are currently at risk of extinction. The partnership seeks not only to raise awareness about these issues but also to reinvent our relationship with food and the environment, aiming to restore balance between human activities and the natural world.

Laurent Gardinier, President of Relais & Châteaux, remarked, "The partnership with UNESCO was a natural choice for us. Our goal is to facilitate change and rethink the models of our establishments to intertwine personal enrichment through travel with environmental, social, and societal objectives."

The partnership is structured around two main pillars. Firstly, UNESCO will support new initiatives by Relais & Châteaux called 'In Harmony with Living Beings,' which consists of 12 commitments focused on three key missions:
1. Preserve the world's hospitality traditions and cuisines.
2. Contribute to the protection and sustainable development of biodiversity.
3. Act on a daily basis for a more humane world.

With 580 member establishments across 65 countries, Relais & Châteaux is intricately connected with communities worldwide, as well as the diverse ecosystems around them. This partnership leverages those relationships to emphasize the interconnection of food, health, and the environment.

The second pillar of the partnership will include pilot projects conducted by Relais & Châteaux members in collaboration with UNESCO sites. A charter of commitment will be established to guide these initiatives in accordance with UNESCO’s principles, particularly targeting regions near biosphere reserves linked to the Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB) and World Heritage sites. These projects will not only promote UNESCO sites and traditional knowledge but also align with sustainable biodiversity conservation while respecting local cultures and heritage.

Groundwork for the collaboration traces back to Mauro Colagreco, the Vice President of Relais & Châteaux and chef-owner of the three-Michelin-starred restaurant Mirazur in Menton. Appointed as a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for biodiversity in November 2022, Colagreco has long been an advocate for biodiversity, working to inspire action and raise awareness about environmental issues.

Colagreco remarked, "The last two years have been dedicated to advocating for biodiversity and galvanizing support for ecosystem protection. Gastronomy serves as a potent catalyst for change; we need to rethink fundamentally how we approach food systems. It's crucial to multiply biodiversity guardians worldwide for the well-being of our planet and its species. The Relais & Châteaux network consists of 580 properties with 800 restaurants, and it makes complete sense to involve them in this mission."

The UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme is an intergovernmental effort aimed at improving the relationship between humans and the environment. It focuses on conservation, local development, preservation of cultural heritage, and protection of local knowledge. UNESCO currently protects nearly eight million square kilometers of natural spaces through 759 biosphere reserves in 136 countries, thereby supporting the communities benefiting from these initiatives.

As Relais & Châteaux moves forward with this partnership, the first pilot projects are expected to commence in 2025, undertaken by selected members located close to UNESCO sites. This collaboration represents a significant step towards a sustainable future, emphasizing the integral role of hospitality in promoting biodiversity and preserving our planet’s rich cultural and natural heritage.

For more information about Relais & Châteaux, visit relaischateaux.com. To learn more about UNESCO, check out unesco.org.