As the seasons change, millions of migratory birds are taking off on their incredible journeys across plains, seas, mountains, crossing multiple international borders along the way. This natural event brings us together to celebrate the second peak date of World Migratory Bird Day, on Saturday, 11th of October.  This year’s theme, "Shared Spaces: Creating Bird-Friendly Cities and Communities," has inspired global action with energy and purpose.

Inside a small conference room at the UNEP/AEWA Secretariat, a group of dedicated experts, government representatives and observer organizations settled into their seats, joining other meeting participants that were connected remotely. Their task: to revise the International Single Species Action Plan (ISSAP) for the Taiga Bean Goose (Anser fabalis fabalis) adopted in 2015. 

The 20th Meeting of the AEWA Technical Committee (TC20) successfully convened in the picturesque town of Mikulov, Czech Republic, from 24-28 February 2025. Hosted by the Ministry of the Environment of the Czech Republic and co-funded by the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), the four-day meeting brought together experts and policy makers from across Africa and Eurasia. Participants of the meeting included regional representatives, experts from a wide spectrum of fields as well as Party Observers and several key implementing partner organizations of the Agreement. 

2025 marks the 30th Anniversary of the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA), the unique international treaty dedicated to the conservation of migratory waterbirds and their habitats across Africa, Europe, and parts of Asia. Since it was negotiated and concluded on 16 June 1995, in The Hague, the Netherlands, AEWA has played a crucial role in fostering international cooperation and conservation action for 255 migratory waterbird species across the African-Eurasian Flyways.