NORTH LOMBOK, Indonesia — Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, acting in her capacity as UNDP Goodwill Ambassador, visited Gili Meno in North Lombok Regency on Sunday, September 6, 2026, to inspect marine conservation frameworks and community-led blue economy initiatives across the island cluster.
Accompanied by West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) Governor Lalu Muhamad Iqbal, the Swedish Crown Princess participated in releasing sea turtle hatchlings (tukik) at the local Turtle Sanctuary, reviewed coral reef restoration projects, and evaluated indigenous coastal management structures.
The delegation examined several sustainable island strategies integrated into local governance:
- Customary Protection: Enforcing marine protection zones through indigenous Awig-Awig regulations to prevent overfishing and habitat destruction.
- Habitat Restoration: Active coral transplantation and mangrove rehabilitation to preserve coastal biodiversity and shield fragile shorelines.
- Community Recycling: Local women’s cooperatives transforming plastic waste into upcycled handicraft souvenirs, combining environmental remediation with micro-economic income generation.
”The marine ecosystem here is not merely a tourism attraction, but a vital life-support system,” noted Governor Iqbal during the inspection. Crown Princess Victoria commended the local community’s active involvement in marine stewardship, framing Gili Meno’s model as a scalable blueprint for sustainable island management across developing archipelagic regions.
