This week, Vidar Helgesen is attending the Bergen Chamber of Commerce & Industry 's annual conference.
Vidar Helgesen is the Executive Secretary of the UN Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) under UNESCO, and Assistant Director-General of UNESCO. This is the only UN body working exclusively on oceans and sustainability.
Monica Mæland, CEO of Bergen Chamber of Commerce & Industry, believes Helgesen has one of the most important jobs in the world and is looking forward to the visit.
-"As head of the UN's International Ocean Commission (IOC), Vidar Helgesen has one of the world's most important jobs. For Norway and for Bergen, marine research and ocean management are of enormous importance, which is why we are among the world leaders in these areas. So it goes without saying that we are very happy to invite Vidar Helgesen to Bergen when the opportunity arises," says Mæland.
Vidar Helgesen has the ultimate responsibility for leading global cooperation on marine research and management of the world's oceans, including through the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030). Helgesen has a background as a Norwegian diplomat and politician, former Minister of Climate and Environment, and has for decades worked with international cooperation on climate, environment and sustainability. In his role at UNESCO, he works to strengthen the knowledge base, mobilize research and build bridges between science, policy and society to ensure a healthy and sustainable ocean for future generations.
Among the topics Bergen Chamber of Commerce & Industry will discuss with him is the ambition of an international ocean conference in Bergen in 2030, which is one of the main goals in the strategy of One Ocean, Bergen, Norway.
-"The conference will mark the end of the United Nations Ocean Decade. It should be held in the ocean city of Bergen, and we hope for international support to make this happen.
Here you can read more about the annual conference, which will be held in Grieghallen on Friday, November 14.
