Reminder CEPA FP Nomination - Update on Nominations Received

Bonn, 28 March 2013 - The UNEP/AEWA Secretariat has extended the deadline for nominations of National Focal Points for Communication, Education and Public Awareness (CEPA) until 30 April 2013. Contracting Parties are invited to nominate a suitable candidate, either from the governmental or non-governmental sector, by filling out the designation form and returning it together with a short curriculum vitae (CV) and a portrait photo of the person nominated.

So far, the UNEP/AEWA Secretariat has received 13 nominations; most of these are from AEWA Contracting Parties in Africa. As soon as a critical mass of CEPA Focal Points has been received, the Secretariat will begin to mobilize and use this exciting new network as well as actively seek funds to support CEPA activities identified in the AEWA Strategic Plan and Plan of Action for Africa. The current list of AEWA CEPA National Focal Points can be found here.

CEPA-related activities are one of the measures specified in the AEWA Action Plan under the section “Education and Information” and should be undertaken by Contracting Parties to warrant the conservation of migratory waterbirds within their national boundaries.

To support these efforts, the 5th Meeting of the Parties to AEWA (MOP5) recently adopted Resolution 5.5 Implementation and Revision of the Communication Strategy, which “invites all Contracting Parties to nominate, by 31 December 2012, a suitable National Focal Point for Communication, Education and Public Awareness (CEPA), either from the governmental or non-governmental sector”.

National CEPA Focal Points act as the main national contact on issues relating to Communication, Education and Public Awareness in connection with AEWA. They are the main contact point for the Secretariat on CEPA issues and play an active role in supporting communication and outreach activities such as World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD), as well as a wide range of other CEPA activities which promote the objectives of the Agreement and its Action Plan on the national and regional level.

Further information on the CEPA National Focal Point nomination procedure and other CEPA-related information and resources will be made available on the AEWA CEPA Focal Point’s Page.