NICE, FRANCE – 4 June 2025 — Her Royal Highness Princess Angelika Lātūfuipeka Tukuʻaho of Tonga delivered a poised and powerful address at the One Ocean Science Congress (OOSC) today, urging the international community to recognise whales as legal persons with the right to life, culture, and protection under the law.

“The time has come to recognise whales not merely as resources but as sentient beings with inherent rights,” Her Royal Highness said. “Their survival demands a transformative shift in our legal and ethical relationship with the ocean.”

Representing the Huelo Matamoana Trust and leading a Pacific delegation that includes the Moananui Sanctuary Trust and the Pacific Whale Fund, the Princess called on governments to adopt legal frameworks grounded in science and Indigenous knowledge. Her message was clear: the Pacific is ready to lead with integrity, wisdom, and decisive action.

This advocacy is central to the “I’m a Person Too” campaign, a growing global movement calling for formal recognition of whales’ rights in national and international law. More than 367,000 people around the world have already signed the campaign’s petition, reflecting widespread support for a new legal and ethical paradigm.

Princess Lātūfuipeka’s stance continues a proud legacy. In 1978, her grandfather, the late King Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV, issued a Royal Decree banning all whale hunting in Tongan waters—establishing one of the world’s first whale sanctuaries. Today, Her Royal Highness builds on that legacy by advancing legal innovation rooted in cultural responsibility.