From "Migratory Waterbird Days" to "World Migratory Bird Days"!
In 2006 the "Migratory Waterbird Days" (MWD) will be expanded to "World Migratory Bird Days" (WMBD) to be celebrated the world over and covering all species of migratory birds. The idea of broadening the scope of the MWD, created early this year on the occasion of the 10th Anniversary of AEWA and celebrated in 22 countries, was born when the AEWA Executive Secretary and his Information Officer met Kuki Gallmann, who showed great interest in cooperating to launch such an event. Ms Gallmann is well known for her novels such as "I Dreamed of Africa" and "African Nights" and is the founder of the Gallmann Memorial Foundation and Africa Conservancy which engages in cultural, educational and environmental research. The "World Migratory Bird Days" will be launched and celebrated with a special event on 8 April 2006 on Ms. Gallmann's famous estate and wildlife reserve, Ol Ari Nyiro in Laikipia, Kenya. [read on]
AEWA Executive Secretary attends press conference on Avian Influenza
On 20 November 2005, in the margins of the 8th Conference of the Parties to CMS, the Executive Secretary of AEWA, Bert Lenten, together with Marco Barbieri (Technical Officer of the CMS), Jim Knight (UK Minister for Rural Affairs, Landscape and Biodiversity) and David Morgan (Chief Scientific Support Officer of the CITES), held a press conference on Avian Influenza (HPAI) to announce plans for the creation of an early warning system to track the flight patterns of migratory birds and alert and better prepare countries and communities for the arrival of potentially infected wild birds. This project, for which UNEP has announced financial support of US$ 30,000, will include, among other things, the identification of centres dealing with migratory birds, the training of officials and capacity building. [read on]
AEWA 3rd Session of the Meeting of Parties (MOP3)
With the productive outcome of 20 adopted resolutions the Third Meeting of the Parties to AEWA (23 - 27 October 2005 in Dakar, Senegal) has paved the way for a host of activities to be implemented within the next three years. One important issue was the adoption of the Communication Strategy, which is expected to bring major improvements in internal and external communication, capacity building and public awareness. Important public awareness-raising elements such as this E-Newsletter have already been implemented. However, the activities identified for the forthcoming Triennium will require € 457,495 in additional financial support, as these activities are not covered by the regular budget. [read on]
Switzerland helps implement species conservation and monitoring projects
A grant was received from the Swiss Agency for the Environment, Forests and Landscape (SAEFL) to establish coordination mechanisms for the implementation of the International Single Species Action Plans for the Sociable Lapwing and for the Black-winged Pratincole (as adopted at the Second Meeting of the Parties to AEWA, Bonn, Germany, 2002) and on the Red-breasted Goose (adopted by the Council of Europe and the European Commission in 1995). Part of the financial support will also flow into the International Waterbird Census in Central Asia. The AEWA Secretariat wishes to thank the Government of Switzerland for this generous contribution to four important waterbird conservation projects.
AEWA Birthday Calendar
The AEWA Secretariat, with support from UNEP/DEC, has published a Birthday Calendar, which AEWA Focal Points and partners will be receiving early in January 2006. The calendar is the last of the public awareness raising projects carried out this year to mark the 10th Anniversary of AEWA. It combines watercolour paintings by the Belgian painter Yves Fagniart with informative texts on AEWA and waterbird conservation issues in English and French. [read on]
Thank you for your interest in our E-Newsletter.
The AEWA Secretariat wishes everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!