Maria Cristina Finucci is an architect and artist. In 2013, she founded a new country, the “Garbage Patch State” at UNESCO, to raise awareness about the problem of plastic pollution in the oceans. Among her numerous monumental installations are: Paris UNESCO, 2013; Rome MAXXI Museum, 2014; New York UN Headquarters, 2014; Paris COP 21, 2015; and Rome, Roman Forum, 2018. As head of state, she signed the UN Agenda 2030 resolution on sustainable development. Maria has received numerous awards in Italy. Her artistic work has been exhibited in museums and institutions. For her contributions to environmental causes, in February 2019, she was awarded the decoration of Grand Officer of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic.