The Rugby Club Toulonnais, through its foundation “Rugby Cœur Toulonnais”, will organize the Neptunalia Forum on May 21 with the aim of raising awareness of environmental issues linked to the Mediterranean Sea.
“As a club associated with an important port in France, RC Toulon is particularly sensitive to all issues linked to the Mediterranean Sea. We make it our duty to unite the world of sport in the service of this sea which gives us a particular sensitivity,” explained club president Bernard Lemaître at a press conference this Thursday.
Supported by the Ministry of Sports, the Maritime Prefecture of the Mediterranean and the CNRS, the RCT Foundation has decided to create a day of debates and meetings around several themes such as biodiversity, pollution, vulnerability to global warming and role of the sporting world in promoting environmental initiatives.
“Neptunalia is above all a global program that we have been running for two years. It represents around fifty actions already carried out such as cleaning beaches or raising awareness in schools. This forum is part of concrete actions to raise awareness and train around maritime issues,” indicated the head of the RCT Foundation Baptiste Lauro-Lillo. The Neptunalia Forum will be open to all at the Palais Neptune in Toulon with free access with the aim of welcoming a large audience and allowing many students from the region to participate to meet the stakeholders of the Mediterranean Sea.
Recognized ambassadors will be present to address the theme of protecting the Mediterranean Sea, such as navigators Marc Thiercelin and Kito de Pavant, former swimmer Malia Metella, ex-rugby player Christian Califano and European MP Catherine Chabaud. Professional sports clubs from the Mediterranean coast will also be represented: Olympique de Marseille, Montpellier Hérault Rugby and USA Perpignan.
