News from the CEPA e-mail list

Follow up on RCJ's Kodomo Ramsar (07/10/05)

Good morning CEPA list members:

Following up on the messages from Rose Hogan and Hastings Maloya regarding what African children are doing for the COP, I can give you a little information on what I know is happening. I know from Reiko Nakamura from Japan, who is organizing the initiative I mentioned in Wednesday’s email, that the drawings submitted will be displayed at the COP venue. I know that Reiko has been in contact with the Ugandan National Organising Committee (NOC) for the COP and arrangements have been made for an exchange programme between Asian and Ugandan schoolchildren with presentations and cultural performances on the theme of wetlands, although it is my understanding that this will take place during the COP but not at actually at the COP venue. There are also plans afoot for an African/Asian children’s brief presentation at the COP opening ceremony. I can also add that the Ugandan NOC has launched an art and essay competition for Ugandan schoolchildren to raise awareness about wetlands, the Ramsar Convention and the Ramsar COP. I’m sure that there are other activities being organized too although I have no firm information on this.

But what else could African children do? Perhaps interested members of this list can come up with practical suggestions on how African children might communicate with children in other parts of the world about wetlands and the COP. For this exercise, can I suggest that anyone wishing to share an idea writes directly to me at hails@ramsar.org in the first instance – I will collate all replies and share them with the list. In this way we won’t flood members with too many emails!

Best wishes, Sandra Hails, Ramsar Secretariat