Canon’s World Unseen 2.0 Dives Deeper with Project REEFrame to Protect UAE’s Coral Reefs

Following the successful EMEA launch of World Unseen 2.0, an initiative dedicated to unveiling the hidden beauty and urgency of ocean conservation, the campaign has made its regional debut in the Middle East, starting in the United Arab Emirates. This milestone marks the next chapter in World Unseen's mission to bring people closer to the ocean's unseen stories, through technology, art, and partnerships that drive tangible impact.

Building on the recent partnership with Nature Seychelles and Coral Spawning International to establish the first coral breeding facility in the Western Indian Ocean, World Unseen 2.0 has joined forces with Freestyle Divers, one of the UAE's leading marine conservation and diving education organizations, on Project REEFrame, to inspire local engagement and amplify regional action for ocean protection.

Through this collaboration, World Unseen 2.0 brings interactive experiences, educational outreach, and storytelling initiatives to the UAE, connecting residents, divers, and youth to the fragile ecosystems that thrive just below the surface. The project highlights how climate change, coral bleaching, and pollution are reshaping the marine world, while showcasing local conservation efforts led by Freestyle Divers' community and research teams.

The UAE launch featured exclusive underwater imagery, educational activations, and interactive installations designed to make the unseen world beneath the waves visible to all. The initiative also aims to support regional conservation efforts by connecting the Canon EMEA World Unseen network with local organizations and divers passionate about marine preservation.

A Multi-Dimensional Partnership for Reef Restoration

Guided by Canon's global philosophy of Kyosei - living and working together for the common good - this campaign is rooted in purpose-led collaboration with local organizations driving real environmental change. To support the initiative, Canon will provide direct sponsorship for coral restoration infrastructure, supply imaging technology for scientific monitoring and documentation, support innovation in autonomous reef monitoring systems, and facilitate community engagement through scientific training and educational initiatives.

Venkatasubramanian (Subbu) Hariharan, Managing Director of Canon Middle East & Türkiye, said, "Coral reefs are vital to coastal protection, fisheries, biodiversity, and the blue economy of the UAE. By providing the tools to accurately measure, monitor, and document reef restoration at a scale, we enable more effective conservation strategies and contribute to a more sustainable future for these critical ecosystems."

Project REEFrame is a science-based community programme focused on protecting, extending, and creating new coral reefs through Whole Site Restoration, an approach that integrates coral reefs with seagrass, oysters, mussels, and mangroves to rebuild complete coastal ecosystems. Operating on a 40,000 m² site in Dibba, Al Fujairah, in partnership with UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment and under a renewable environmental permit from the Fujairah Environment Authority, the project aims to create permanent new habitats while training communities in marine conservation.

Direct Conservation Impact

Canon will sponsor coral nursery tables and reef infrastructure, supporting the propagation of thousands of coral fragments and their outplanting onto permanent reef structures. The partnership includes funding for monthly maintenance, scientific monitoring, and impact reporting over two years.

Imaging Technology for Science

Canon will provide PowerShot G7 X Mark III and EOS R8 cameras with underwater housing and lighting systems to capture critical photographic data on coral growth, health, and biodiversity recruitment. This imagery enables scientific analysis of coral size, volume, and survival rates—essential metrics for measuring restoration success. To complete the imaging workflow from capture to output, Canon will also supply printers enabling the project to create high-quality exhibitions that showcase the remarkable underwater images captured during restoration efforts and share the story of reef recovery with broader audiences.

Community Education and Engagement

Canon employees and the broader community will have opportunities to participate in conservation activities, including scientific diving courses, coral analyst training, and volunteer dives. The partnership also includes underwater photography and videography workshops through a Canon Academy initiative, empowering participants to document and share the story of reef restoration.

Darryl Owen, Co-owner of Freestyle Divers, said, "Project REEFrame relies on accurate visual documentation to measure our impact and advance our scientific understanding. Canon's imaging technology will prove fundamental to our monitoring processes, from tracking individual coral growth to developing autonomous systems that will allow us to scale our efforts across the entire 40,000 m² site. This collaboration enables us to achieve conservation impact while training a diverse community in marine science and restoration techniques.”

Coral reefs in the UAE face significant environmental challenges. In 2021, record surface water temperatures of 34°C caused massive destruction of shallow coral reefs along the East coast, with repeated large-scale bleaching and mortality events on the West coast in 2023 and 2024.

As the World Unseen 2.0 journey continues, the expansion into the Middle East represents a vital step in building a global movement that transcends borders, one that champions ocean awareness, scientific collaboration, and creative storytelling to safeguard the future of our seas. This REEFrame partnership complements Canon's broader coral conservation efforts across EMEA, reflecting the company's commitment to sustainability and its belief that imaging technology - from cameras to satellites - can play a vital role in enabling conservation efforts and building a more sustainable future.