WWF and Ramsar farewells and wine, July 2003

 WWF Living Waters fêtes Ramsar and says goodbye to some

10 July 2003 -- the traditional (i.e. second annual) wine-tasting party hosted by WWF International's Living Waters Programme assembles at the vineyard Domaine Serreaux Dessus/Luins in Begnins, Switzerland, to say goodbye to some and eat cheese and drink wine.

The owner of the Domaine Serreaux Dessus welcomes the crowd and outlines the history of the vineyards, as Ramsar's Secretary General listens attentively.

The wine-tasting begins.

Living Waters director Jamie Pittock (center) seizes the occasion to bestow some awards.

Not without some lighthearted banter along the way.

Everyone pauses. They're thinking, what's a bisse?

(Left) Denis explains: A bisse is a traditional Swiss Valaisan system of channels for distributing water around amongst the high Alpine valleys, NOT UNLIKE the fouggara system for distributing oasis water in many of our new Ramsar sites in Algeria. Very similar to that, in fact. (Right) Delmar replies: Right, many thanks. A book about the bisse, okay. Thanks.

2003	1996

Claude Martin (left), Director General of WWF International, bids farewell to Ramsar's outgoing Secretary General and poignantly recalls Mr Blasco's inspiring address to the Parties at the 6th Conference of the Parties in Brisbane, 1996 (right), which was instrumental in creating the superb synergies between Ramsar and WWF which have prevailed since then.

Master of Ceremonies Jamie Pittock rounds upon poor Anada Tiéga for renewed attention. WWF International pays tribute to Anada's six years' work with the Bureau and particularly to his enormously productive cooperation with the Living Waters Programme in its work with the Lake Chad Basin Commission and the Niger River Authority.

A special farewell present for Anada: a poulet du village [i.e., a chicken]

And Jamie's testimonial also for Biksham Gujja (center), in appreciation for his ten years with WWF International and new responsibilities in overseeing a new project in India. Andreas Würzer, WWF Living Waters Europe, and Alain Lambert of Ramsar look on.

Time for some serious wine-tasting and cheese-devouring.

Andreas Würzer and Estelle Gironnet discuss stuff as the bread and cheese arrive.

Commingled WWF and Ramsar people fight their way through cheese, meats, bread, and wine.

Ramsar's Valerie Higgins and Ivan Dario Valencia.

CAMEOS

Julio Montes (center) flanked by WWF's Claude Martin and Ramsar's Delmar Blasco.

Ramsar's Estelle Gironnet, Anada Tiéga, and Nassima Aghanim

Polly Philpott (IUCN), Paulette Kennedy, Dwight Peck

Annette Keller (Ramsar), Sarah Humphrey (WWF), Nassima Aghanim and Ms Tiéga

The view from the venue over Lake Geneva