[RAPA NUI ISLAND] — In the vast blue expanse of the southeastern Pacific—more than 3,500 kilometres from continental Chile—lies Rapa Nui, known to many as Easter Island. Remote yet globally significant, its surrounding ocean has long sustained both extraordinary biodiversity and a vibrant cultural legacy rooted in deep respect for the sea.
Today, that ocean—Te Moana Tapu a Hotu Matu’a, the Sacred Sea of the Rapa Nui people—has been officially recognized as a Mission Blue Hope Spot®, joining a growing global network of places critical to the health of the ocean.

This recognition celebrates not only the ecological importance of Rapa Nui’s waters, but also a powerful model of conservation led by Indigenous knowledge, community governance, and science working together.
“Hope Spots are special places that give us reason for optimism about the future of the ocean,” said Dr.…