A Message from Aqaba Corals to the World

A Message from Aqaba Corals to the World

I am the Coral of Aqaba, the gentle sanctuary and faithful guardian of the Gulf of Aqaba, and the glowing memory of the Red Sea. My age is not measured in years, but in my biological vitality and adaptive resilience through which I have built myself across the ages, as I narrated the story of land, sea, and humankind.

I spread along the shores of the Gulf of Aqaba, where my ancestors arrived millions of years ago from the far ocean, in a unique place unlike any other, where the desert meets the vastness of the sea, and where the southern border of Jordan lies, a country scarce in fresh water just as it is scarce in seawater, owning only a small section of this Gulf. Yet that section is vital, for God granted Jordan this small part of the Gulf to be a lifeline, it is source of water and energy, upon which human livelihoods, agriculture, and prosperity depend. My presence in this place also gives it global strategic significance; this is the northernmost point at which I exist as continuous reef structures in the Northern Hemisphere. There are other reasons as well, which I explain in the rest of my message.

My colorful gardens stretch below the surface where I live, like sunlight filtering between the waves. I built each arch and structure cell by cell across thousands of years, creating an entire world of natural architecture, without reinforced concrete and without human intervention. This is why many do not understand the secret behind my fragility and my strength at the same time.

I have demonstrated to my scientist friends that I possess resilience that allows me to coexist with certain human activities and withstand some of the climate change effects better than many other corals around the world. However, remember my fragility, and do not overestimate my endurance. I am home to thousands of marine species that cannot live far from me, for I am their first and original home. I am also a silent defensive wall, breaking the waves before they reach the shore protecting Aqaba’s coast from erosion.

My people in Aqaba know me well; we have lived together for thousands of years. They do not see me as mere beauty beneath the water; I am their maritime identity, their livelihood, and their window to the world. I rejoice in embracing the divers who come to visit me from everywhere, and I am careful not to harm them nor be harmed by them, so that my contribution to Aqaba’s prosperity and Jordan’s economy continues. Researchers see in me a natural laboratory for understanding how this small creature endures across the years. I teach them through my silence, patience, and the precision of my creation. The community of the sea, fishers, recreational divers, and practitioners of tour‑boat of all kinds are a part of my life, just as I am a part of theirs.

Despite my resilience, I am not invincible. I can be harmed by threats such as pollution, land restructuring caused by coastal activities, and some unregulated fishing practices. Even projects declared in my name, claiming to protect me without being properly implemented or without bringing benefits to my rightful people, do not serve me; some of them exhaust and harm me, in addition to wasting resources that could have been better used to create real change.

I give quietly and ask for little. I only ask that my slow rhythm, my delicate depth, and my long history be respected. Allow me to share what brings me joy:

People of Aqaba: You are my people, first to know me and first to protect me. You are the continuation of my story across millennia. I love you and you love me. Continue protecting me with your knowledge and your maritime heritage, just as your parents and grandparents did since the dawn of history.

Researchers and Scientists: Welcome always, from Jordan and from all around the world. Remember that local community knowledge is no less valuable than laboratory experiments. Listen to my people and give them priority; you complete their knowledge, and they complete your science.

Here, I testify to history about the value of the Marine Science Station, Jordan’s first, longest, and most successful partnership between research and higher education institutions. I feel pride and gratitude for every scientific effort carried out there and its outcomes, as I see much of what has been learned from me spreading around the world through scientific partnerships whose impact has reached the five continents. I enjoy the environmental monitoring programs that started in the mid‑1990s, the earliest of which was in partnership with the Industrial Complex of the Jordan Phosphate Mines Company. One interesting outcome of that program is that it provided PhD data for a German researcher after he was unable to complete his work in another part of the sea. Environmental monitoring programs expanded and evolved over the past quarter-century and a few years thanks to Aqaba Region Authority and Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority, whose establishing law in the year 2000 enshrined the principle of sustainable development. Also Aqaba Development Corporation that applies rigorous environmental protection standards in all its endeavors. In addition, many other development and investment ventures, particularly Ayla Oasis and Aqaba Containers Terminal. Continuous environmental monitoring complements structured scientific research that tracks my health and the changes I undergo year after year. These blessed efforts have helped the world understand who I am, how I live, and why I continue to thrive while corals elsewhere decline.

International Supporting and Implementing Bodies: Thank you to every hand that reached out to help me. However, please ensure that your support reaches where it should, toward true protection and initiatives that directly contribute to my sustainability and that of my neighboring coastal ecosystems, as well as the wellbeing of our local communities that depend on us. Avoid repeatedly recycled activities producing very little meaningful benefits or tangible impact. Seek the scientists and get their support for their scientific rigor. Seek the local knowledge and honor its experience. Before I close, I have a word to the Programs and Projects executing teams, be brave, honest and transparent. You are a part of my story that I will tell, learn from my long experience that nothing can be hidden forever. These simple principles I have just mentioned were well presented in His Majesty King Abdullah II ibn Al Hussein speaking of partnerships and international cooperation during the launch of Aqaba Blue Venture - Global Center for Ocean Regeneration at the United Nations Ocean Conference in June 2025: “We are working to provide a pioneering model of regenerative blue economy, one that can be replicated for coral reefs worldwide. Such work highlights the importance of joint efforts; technology alone is not enough. We need inclusive partnerships, global innovators, cutting edge scientists, and most importantly, local communities who are deeply connected to the ocean. Their experience is vital to lasting stewardship”.

https://kingabdullah.jo/en/news/king-delivers-jordans-address-at-3rd-united-nations-ocean-conference-1