“It isn’t simply the story of the river within the Seine, however of the entire regeneration of the ecosystem.” – Libération

2024-06-22 13:14:26

An organizer for aquatic ecosystems, the 54-year-old Australian lawyer and businesswoman stopped within the capital on Thursday, to work alongside the Seine within the workplace of the deputy mayor of Paris in control of the Olympics and the Seine.

Operating 200 races all over the world between 2022 and 2023 to lift consciousness and defend marine ecosystems is not going to be sufficient for him. The world-friendly Australian marathon runner Mina Guli has set herself a brand new problem: to run twenty rivers on seven continents, for the needs of her “World River” marketing campaign. The aim is at all times the identical: to lift public consciousness about water safety, in collaboration with the NGO Thirst Basis. The brand new loopy challenge, began in France at the start of June, on the Langres Plateau, within the Côte-d’Or, the place the Seine has its supply.

5 weeks earlier than the Olympics, there isn’t a doubt that Paris is on the trail of this 43-year-old businesswoman and lawyer. Thursday June 20, earlier than the very unhealthy information gathered for the Olympic occasions within the Seine (triathlon and freestyle swimming), Mina Guli shared her race for 3 kilometers with Pierre Rabadan, deputy mayor of Paris in control of Sports activities, Olympics and… the Seine. A small communications operation, which permits the colleagues of the day to multiply photographs on the Pont des Arts within the coronary heart of the capital.

Swans and the world instance

Throughout his world tour, he stated he discovered it “The dry rivers that I can stroll underneath the bridges, which might be soiled and the banks are piles of garments and plastics.” As soon as he arrived underneath the columns of the Institut de France, breathless, the runner was proud of the present state of the Seine, even when it meant he was too certain. “The aim of this race is to have a good time the restoration of this wonderful river ecosystem, but in addition to point out it to the world, as a way to encourage different cities to do related tasks,” he stated. The white hat is concentrated and never too drained, Pierre Rabadan is just not decreased: has cleaned the Seine, “That is necessary for our kids’s future and in addition for our personal previous age.”

Mina Guli, whose scientific work is supported by the United Nations, wonders what’s unsuitable with the water within the river: “You already know, a couple of years in the past, it was declared that this river was functionally useless. Yesterday, whereas I used to be operating, I noticed a fish that bit my arm. I noticed swans and geese at residence on the banks. One of many swans may be very stunning, it has little geese on its again. ” Or extra seemingly child swans.

“It isn’t communication, it is science”

However Mina Guli nonetheless maintains some respectful reservations: “It isn’t simply the story of the river is the river. It’s a story of regeneration and the entire restoration of the ecosystem. We can not choose the standard of a river based mostly on our capability to swim in it or not, many different elements come into play. ” Earlier than including: “I’ve swum on this river earlier than, and I guarantee you that a lot of your well being can’t be decreased as to if you may swim or not.” Perceive, the efforts made are encouraging, however we nonetheless want work to completely restore the Seine.

A remark raised by Pierre Rabadan: “Swimming within the Seine is not only a query of fine communication. There’s a scientific methodology, the European strategies used, the assessments we do day-after-day. “ And, concerning the Olympics which opens on July 26, these assessments haven’t gone inexperienced. On Friday, the Ile-de-France area stated the extent of the river was nonetheless too soiled to plan Olympic occasions there. And within the night, Paris 2024 canceled the costume rehearsal for the opening ceremony on the Seine attributable to extreme stream, as a result of heavy rains of current days. To look past the impediment of this summer time’s Olympics, Guli and Rabadan organized to fulfill after the Olympics, to go to an exhibition on the Seine. Actually, since it’s going to happen within the floating artwork gallery at Quai de la Photograph.