Water and Wetlands in the Mediterranean. “From Grado to Agadir: The next twenty years”
The Ramsar Convention and its MedWet Initiative and the High Commissariat
for Water, Forests and Desertification Control of Morocco announce the
organisation of an International Symposium on "Water and Wetlands in the
Mediterranean", to be held from 6 to 8 February 2012 in the city of Agadir
in Morocco. BirdLife International, IUCN, the Tour du Valat Research Centre,
Wetlands International and WWF International are key partners in the
organisation of the Symposium.
In February 1991, a
first pan-Mediterranean conference on wetlands was held in the town of Grado, in
northern Italy which adopted the goal to ‘stop and reverse the loss and
degradation of Mediterranean wetlands’. This led to the implementation of
important measures for the conservation and wise use of these unique ecosystems
and the establishment of the MedWet Initiative (MedWet).
Twenty years after the Grado conference, this new International
Symposium aims to review the current situation of water and wetlands in the
Mediterranean, assess the new challenges and plan for the next 20 years. Important
objectives are to assess the changes occurring in the Mediterranean and their
potential impact on wetlands, to identify ways in which wetland resources can
be used sustainably with a strong emphasis on water resources and to provide
ways for closer cooperation between experts and actors in the Mediterranean
involved in the water area, wetlands and other related sectors.
The Symposium will bring together experts from the fields of water
and wetlands, scientists, wetland managers, conservationists, policy and
decision makers and other stakeholders involved in water management and wetland
conservation and the sustainable use of wetland resources and services.
The meeting will include plenary sessions and workshops on key issues
such as sustainable water resources management, climate change, wetland
services, cultural heritage, wise (sustainable) use of wetland resources and
the services provided by biodiversity. There will also be a field trip of the
Souss Massa Ramsar site, a workshop of young "experts" on
Mediterranean wetlands, various exhibitions related to wetlands of the
Mediterranean region, presentations of local products and various cultural
visits in the Agadir region.
The Symposium will provide the opportunity to celebrate the 40th
anniversary of the Ramsar Convention, as well as the 20th anniversary of MedWet
Initiative.
Dates: 6 February – 8 February 2012
Location: Agadir, Morocco
Contact: Agadir 2012 International Symposium Secretariat
Phone: +30 2108089270
Fax: +30 2108089274
E-mail: agadir2012@medwet.org
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