Building capacity through wetland centre staff exchanges

On 30th March the Ramsar Secretariat welcomed two guests, Laura Doxan from the Centre Natura in the Danube Delta, Romania, and Leyani Ceballero Tier from the visitor centre at the Ciénaga de Zapata Ramsar Site in Cuba. They both work as animators in their centres but they also share something else in common – they are currently staying at the Champ-Pittet Visitor Centre at the la Grande Cariçaie Ramsar Site in Switzerland to benefit from the centre’s long experience in providing a ‘wetland experience’ for visitors to the centre, an experience they will put to good practice in their own centres.

During our meeting on the 30th we were fortunate to have Chris Rostron, Head of the Wetland Link International (WLI) network of wetland centres, with us. This presented an opportunity to discuss how WLI might be able to promote exchanges (the Ramsar Secretariat has formal links with WLI (read more here http://www.ramsar.org/CEPA-WLI/). The costs can be quite low, especially for centres that have some staff accommodation available. In two of the three cases discussed in the full story (see below) the exchange person was still paid by her institution which also provided her transport costs to and from the home country; the receiving centre covered only the accommodation and financial support for subsistence. 

We look forward to developing some ideas with Chris and the WLI membership of how WLI, with support from the Secretariat, might be able to move this concept from planning to reality. Whenever we have more news on this we will of course keep you informed through the CEPA elist. Read the full story here http://www.ramsar.org/cda/en/ramsar-news-wetland-centre-staff-exchages/main/ramsar/1-26%5E25081_4000_0__.

With best wishes, Sandra Hails, Ramsar Secretariat
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Sandra HAILS
CEPA Programme Officer
Ramsar Convention Secretariat
Rue Mauverney 28, 1196 Gland, Switzerland
hails@ramsar.org
Tel: +41 22 9990176
Fax: +41 22 9990169
www.ramsar.org/CEPA-Programme/