Representatives of the 50 member cities of the Most Beautiful Bays in the World organization took part in a beach cleanup in Penghu County yesterday, the final event of its World Congress.
The cleaners included Maria das Dores Meira, the organization’s outgoing president, and Michel Bujold, who is to take her place from 2019 to 2021, as well as Penghu County Commissioner Chen Guang-fu (陳光復) and environmental protection officials.
Some members of the bays organization at the event at Longmen Beach (龍門) praised the beauty of Penghu Bay.
Photo: Liu Yu-ching, Taipei Times
After the cleanup, the visitors embarked on a sightseeing tour to popular destinations, with Chen serving as their host and guide.
The World Congress held a ceremony the previous day, which was attended by Legislative Speaker Su Jia-chyuan (蘇嘉全).
A joint declaration was signed on Friday to promote ocean sustainability and marine ecology, with the international community urged to take action to counter ocean pollution and make oceans more resilient to climate change.
Yasunori Yamazaki, vice governor of Toyama Prefecture in Japan, was given the organization’s flag at the closing ceremony on Saturday, with his prefecture to host next year’s event.
About 250 representatives from 50 cities in 23 countries participated in the meeting.
The congress featured a series of academic forums, as well as cultural and sports events.
Headquartered in Vannes, France, the international non-governmental organization was founded in 1997 and is supported by UNESCO.
Members represent 43 scenic bays in 25 countries, including Mont Saint-Michel Bay in France and Yeosu Bay in South Korea.
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