News from the CEPA e-mail list

Children's participation at COP9 - a report (31/01/06)

Good morning CEPA people:

Following up on the children’s participation at COP9 (discussed in CEPA list messages leading up to the COP), I now have an excellent report from Reiko Nakamura, Ramsar Centre Japan (RCJ), on the initiative. I have included the report below with pictures and the text of the Children’s Appeal here http://www.ramsar.org/outreach_campaigns_kodomo.htm. My thanks to Reiko for the report and the pictures, and to the partners in Uganda who helped make the initiative a success.

Since I know that several list members were interested in the initiative, I would also like to draw your attention to the Children’s programme in the upcoming World Water Forum as further food for thought in the lead up to Ramsar’s COP10. So please read Reiko’s report and then have a look here http://www.worldwaterforum4.org.mx/home/childforum.asp?lan=.

With best regards, Sandra Hails, Ramsar Secretariat
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Here is Reiko’s report:

I would like to share one of the important CEPA achievements of COP9 - the children's participation as the Convention's first experience in its history.

The Ramsar Center Japan (RCJ), a NGO based in Tokyo, Japan, successfully organized a complementary CEPA activity for COP9 or "KODOMO (children) Ramsar", a wetland and culture exchange programme between Asian and African children in partnership with the Wetlands Inspection Division, Ministry of Water, Lands and Environment, Government of Uganda, an NGO, Nature Uganda, and other Ugandan NGOs on 8 - 10 November 2005 in Kampala, Uganda.

Seven children representing four Asian countries, namely Japan, Korea, Thailand and India were invited to Uganda with the financial support of the Japan Fund for Global Environment (JFGE). The Asian visitors actively interacted with more than 200 children from junior and senior high schools of Kampala at the Rainbow International School on 8 November. After comprehensive discussions lasting half a day, the visitors and their counterparts adopted the Children's Appeal for COP9, which revolved around appropriate information to help young people understand wetland issues, tools to assist young people to take action for conservation of existing wetlands as well as restoration of some destroyed wetlands.

Presented with an opportunity to participate in the Opening Ceremony for the Conference on 8th November 2006 by the COP organizers, the children's representatives delivered the Appeal to the delegations to enthusiastic acclaim. Copies of the Appeal were presented to the chief guest, His Excellency Yoweri Museveni, President of the Republic of Uganda, and to all the Parties present at the Conference as well as the International Organization Partners.

In his speech at the closing ceremony, Dr Peter Bridgewater, Ramsar’s Secretary General, said “The participation of children in the COP is the first of its kind and hopefully it will be emulated in the future”.

More details and photos of the programme will be available shortly from RCJ's Web site (http://homepage1.nifty.com/rcj/).

RCJ hopes to continue and expand the KODOMO Ramsar activities targeted to children toward COP10 (Korea, 2008) and seeks potential sponsors and contributors world wide.

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Sandra Hails, CEPA Programme Officer
Ramsar Convention Secretariat
Rue Mauverney 28, CH-1196 Gland, Switzerland
Tel: +41 22 999 0176; Fax: +41 22 999 0169
E-mail: hails@ramsar.org
Web Site: http://ramsar.org
CEPA mini-Web site: http://ramsar.org/outreach_index.htm

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