Building capacity in wetland centres through staff exchanges

Greetings All:

Here's an interesting story we have just posted on our web site. It's about a recent visit to the Ramsar Secretariat from Ms Ghania Omari, a young educator from the wetland education centre at the Lac de Réghaïa Ramsar Site in Algeria. Ghania has just come to the end of a two month internship with the Champ-Pittet wetland centre located in the Rive Sud du Lac de Neuchâtel (Grande Cariçaie) Ramsar Site in Switzerland and came by the Secretariat to talk about how the experience of her stay has enhanced her skills. The story gives some details on the arrangements between the two centres to make the visit a reality and highlights just how much can be achieved with relatively modest inputs from both centres. It was a great pleasure to talk to Ghania - here's what she has to say about the experience: "I work at the Centre for Wetland Education and Public Awareness at the Lac de Réghaia Ramsar Site, which has been developed through the initial financial support of WWF International's Freshwater Programme. Through the partnership with Pro Natura Switzerland at Champ-Pittet and my centre, I had the opportunity to follow a two-month course at Champ-Pittet focused on modern methods and techniques for communication, environmental education, and public awareness.

This course allowed me to acquire a broad understanding of many theoretical and practical aspects of welcoming groups and organizing activities for children about the natural world. I also received training in managing reception areas at centres, in managing exhibitions, and in maintaining ecological laboratories. I am looking forward to using this experience and applying my new skills back at our centre in Algeria to develop new educational activities."

Read the full story, with some pictures, here http://www.ramsar.org/cda/en/ramsar-news-archives-2010-wetlandscentres/main/ramsar/1-26-45-437%5E24616_4000_0__

A great idea - maybe there are some wetland centres on this list or on the Wetland Link International network (read more here about the network and its links with Ramsar here http://www.wwt.org.uk/wli) that can work together to build capacity within centres?

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 (go to Activities > CEPA Programme)