YEARS:
2019 – 2021
LOCATION:
Auckland, NZ
BLAKE
ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERSHIP IN NEW ZEALAND
Sir Peter Blake was New Zealand’s most celebrated yachtsman who led his team and New Zealand to victory in both the Whitbread Round the World Yacht Race and the America’s Cup. He was also a passionate and relentless champion for the environment. Following his professional sailing career, he focused on protecting the environment and raising awareness of the issues it faces, by voyaging to “environmental pulse points of the planet” and sharing what he discovered.
He visited Antarctica to look at the effects of climate change, and then to the Amazon Rainforest to look at the impacts of deforestation. Tragically, Sir Peter was killed while carrying out this work. His death cut short his vision to inspire millions of people around the world to protect and take action for the environment.
BLAKE is dedicated to continuing Sir Peter Blake’s environmental leadership legacy. Now in its second year, the BLAKE Inspire for Sailors is inspiring more sustainability leaders and preparing young sailors to become change-makers in their local community.
- Support five need-based scholarships for student participation to attend Blake’s week-long residential program for youth sailors to learn about the marine environment, climate change, marine and island biodiversity, harbor management, boat building, and yacht club sustainability.
- Students will develop sustainability action plans to implement within their sailing club.
- Select students based on their interest in sustainability and climate action, rather than on their capability as sailors.
- Create and implement a week-long residential program for young sailors to learn about the marine environment and human environmental impacts. Topics will include climate change, marine and island biodiversity, pollution, marine technology, and yacht club sustainability.
- Develop student-led sustainability action plans for their sailing clubs with the overall goal of creating more sustainability leaders within the New Zealand yachting community.
- Focus on sailing students with a keen interest in sustainability, rather than on their capability as sailors.
About BLAKE
BLAKE (formerly the Sir Peter Blake Trust) was established in 2004 and is dedicated to continuing his environmental leadership legacy, inspiring environmental passion in people through life-changing adventures and programs that follow in the footsteps of Sir Peter himself. The organization has a specific focus on inspiring and preparing people to lead a sustainable future for Aotearoa (the Māori name for New Zealand).
