IUCN, the International Union for Conservation of Nature

Nominate a young messenger to attend Go4BioDiv at CBD COP 11

19 April 2012 | News story

Before May 15, nominate youth from marine World Heritage Sites or coastal regions in India to attend a youth forum held in parallel to the next Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity.

An invitation from Verena Treber

The International Youth Forum Go4BioDiv gives young adults between 18 and 29 the possibility to engage in the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD-COP). Go4BioDiv will take place for the third time, in parallel to CBD-COP 11 in Hyderabad, India.

The theme will be ‘Conserving coastal and marine biodiversity for sustaining life and livelihoods’. The first part of Go4BioDiv 2012 will take place in the Sundarbans, the world’s largest mangrove forests in the Gangetic delta in India and the Bay of Bengal in Bangladesh, before joining CBD-COP 11 in Hyderabad during the High-Level Segment.

35 Outstanding Youth Messengers will be selected and receive financial support to attend:

• 10 from India (1 per coastal State, 1 representing the four Union Territories)
• 25 from marine World Heritage sites

International Messengers must meet the following selection criteria:

• 18 to 29 years in age (as of May 22, 2012)
• Represent a marine World Heritage site
• Represent a group or initiative from civil society (e.g. youth, environment, local communities, women) and/or have adequate leadership skills
• Be nominated by a Go4BioDiv partner organization (e.g. IUCN and its Commissions, ACB, local GIZ project, WWF) or the World Heritage site management

Submit applications to Nina Treu (nina.treu@go4biodiv.org) until May 15, 2012. Applications should include a CV, a short note of recommendation by a supporting institution and the Go4BioDiv Application Form (download from www.go4biodiv.org). The official selection will be announced on Biodiversity Day, May 22.

Go4BioDiv is of interest for CEC, since it is an exemplary initiative which seeks to engage and inspire people to value and protect nature – from policy makers to local initiatives on the ground, and which encourages a dialogue between the generations. Go4BioDiv discovers new ways of communicating biological diversity and is one of the most creative and powerful CEPA events at the CBD-COPs.

How Go4BioDiv communicates biological diversity:

• Communication and outreach in its most diverse ways- from storytelling, dancing, visual arts, to virtual exchange and face-to-face discussions- is a central element of Go4BioDiv.
• Go4BioDiv Messengers have developed dance choreographies, a huge but fragile crystal footprint and a colourfully painted wooden box with symbolic natural and cultural treasures from their World Heritage sites.
• They also produced short video clips with personal messages on conservation challenges. In panel discussions and symposia, the young conservationists interacted with their own national delegations, decision-makers from IUCN, UNESCO and the CBD-Secretariat as well as media representatives.
• An exhibit with creative contributions, such as comics, clips and photo series on their life and relationship with their World Heritage sites is now travelling the world, while the next one with a marine focus is already under development.
• This time, the whole event will be prepared and accompanied by a strong virtual exchange via an online platform. In India, street theatre is planned to be one of the elements used to voice the opinion of the messengers.

As a result of Go4BioDiv and other initiatives, the CBD has established a Youth Focal Point within the Secretariat to facilitate and coordinate further youth activities on biodiversity. With the Government of India hosting the upcoming Forum, Go4BioDiv has found a strong partner. The Forum will be carried out by the Wildlife Institute of India (on behalf of MoEF) in collaboration with international partners such as the Secretariat of CBD, UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre, GIZ on behalf of BMZ, IUCN’s World Heritage Programme, ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity, WWF India and other partners.

The call for nominations of young messengers is open to May 6. 

Click here for the Call for Nomination Application >>