Landau, 6th of August 2025. On 5th of August 2025, the photo exhibition ‘Explorando el Archipiélago (Exploring the Humboldt Archipelago)’ opened in La Serena. The exhibition was sponsored by Rostock Zoo. The Sphenisco Chile Foundation sent out a press release for the opening entitled ‘La Serena da inicio a exposición itinerante sobre el Archipiélago de Humboldt’ (1), which was translated using deepl:
The exhibition ‘Explore the Humboldt Archipelago: Source of Life for Humanity’ opened in the courtyard of La Serena City Hall, offering an educational and sensory experience. The ‘Source of Life’ will travel through all the major communities in the Coquimbo and Atacama regions to highlight and celebrate one of the most important marine ecosystems on Earth: the Humboldt Archipelago.
The opening event was attended by representatives of regional authorities, environmental organisations, students and citizens committed to environmental protection.
Nancy Duman, President of Sphenisco Chile, said: "We are delighted to be in the heart of La Serena, a very important municipality in the Coquimbo region and part of the Humboldt Archipelago. Our goal is to bring the archipelago to places where it is not yet well known, in order to raise awareness of the Humboldt Archipelago and its importance for our country and the world." Nancy Duman was very pleased with the large number of visitors and the interest shown by a wide range of stakeholders in getting involved in the protection of this magnificent ecosystem.
The Secretary of the Ministry of the Environment in the Coquimbo Region, Leonardo Gros, emphasised the importance of the event, stating: "This exhibition is an opportunity to promote environmental education. It is a beautiful manifestation of art, photography and technical content. It will enable us to bring the benefits of this wonderful ecosystem closer to more people in our regions. It is an important initiative that contributes to protecting and preserving this global hotspot that nature has given us for the future."
The launch in the regional capital is a milestone, as this municipality is located in the south of the large marine ecosystem.
La Serena City Councillor Marcela Damke emphasised the importance of this activity and of disseminating information about the Humboldt Archipelago, adding: ‘It is a call to citizens' awareness of how important the environment is for our lives.’
Explorando el Archipiélago’ is a travelling exhibition that combines photography, infographics, scientific information and educational games. Its aim is to raise awareness of the urgent need to protect this fragile ecosystem. The Humboldt Archipelago is home to unique species such as the Humboldt penguin and is one of the most productive marine areas in the world.
Seventh-grade students from the German Riesco School in La Serena attended the opening and had the opportunity to talk to presenters and experts. One of the students, Matías Zúñiga, expressed interest in studying marine biology and said, ‘I know several species from the exhibition; I have many books on marine biology.’ Teacher Madelin Trujillo emphasised the importance of such activities for children: ‘It is important to know and appreciate the biodiversity of our marine fauna so that we can protect and respect it everywhere.’
The exhibition is organised by Sphenisco Chile, a foundation dedicated to protecting the Humboldt penguin and its habitat. The organisation Simbionte, an association of marine biology students at the Universidad Católica del Norte (UCN), is also involved.
Upcoming exhibition dates
Monday, 11th of August in La Higuera
Coming soon: Coquimbo, Freirina and Copiapó
W.K.
Notes
For better readability, the generic masculine form is used in this article. Unless otherwise indicated, the personal pronouns used in this article refer to all genders.
translated by Claudia Fawer
