Call for photos and documentation on the development of AEWA

Bonn, 26 November 2009 - In 2010, AEWA celebrates its 15 years anniversary. To mark the occasion, the AEWA Secretariat is preparing a small booklet describing the early history of the development of the Agreement. Both the AEWA Secretariat and the main author, Dr. Gerard C. Boere, are already in possession of a large number of historic photos and documents; however relevant material for the period from 1985– 1995 is still missing. While most of the formal documents have been secured, we would be very interested in receiving personal notes and observations from those who were directly involved in the development of AEWA during the above mentioned period.

For example, photo material from the 1994 (Nairobi), 1995 (The Hague) and 1999 (Cape Town) meetings as well as some from the first Working Group meeting in The Hague in February 1990 already exists, but we would like to ask all those, who were involved in the meetings and events leading up to the completion of the Agreement to also share their historic photos and documents with us.

In particular, we are looking for photos taken at the Working Group which met during the first CMS COP in 1985 in Bonn and which drafted the Resolution on the Western Palearctic Anatidae Agreement or any other photos of older CMS COPs and other relevant events and documents.

Photos should be in high-resolution (if possible) and original photos will be scanned and returned to the sender. All photos used in the publication will be fully credited, so please provide a full credit line for each photo submitted.

Any additional documentation or photo material relating to the period or meetings mentioned above would be highly appreciated and will help make this publication a comprehensive and interesting record of how AEWA evolved!

Please forward all photos and documentation to:

Dr. Gerard C. Boere

Dorrewold 22

7213 TG Gorssel

The Netherlands

Email: gcboere@planet.nl

Participants of the first consultative meeting on AEWA, which was organised back to back with CMS COP 4 in June 1994 in Nairobi, Kenya. The meeting reached consensus on almost all outstanding issues concerning the geographical area, species list and the Agreement text.

Participants of the ad-hoc Working Group which convened in February 1990 in The Hague, the Netherlands to discuss the preparatory work on an Agreement text and management plan for what later became AEWA. The meeting was chaired by Drs. Chris J. Kalden and the instrument under development was at this time still called the Western Palearctic Waterfowl Agreement.