Ramsar Convention on Wetlands

Photos of the 8th Meeting of the Scientific and Technical Review Panel (STRP)

The STRP meeting that knew no restraint!

Dr Jorge Jiménez of Costa Rica was elected to chair the STRP for the entire triennium {"three-year period"}!   As he opened the meeting, the Secretary General checked out the movie listings for the weekend.  Whilst, enrapt, around the room sat and pondered . . .

. . . several moody but focused STRP members, to wit: Peter Maitland (UK), George Zalidis (Greece), and Jack Rieley (IPS), with Ramsar interns tastefully decorating the wall behind.

Pens poised, in case anything worth noting should be said, sit Yara Schaeffer (Brazil), Rebecca D'Cruz from the Bureau, and Angel Alcala (Philippines).

Africa huddles: Aboubacar Awaïss (Niger) relays an awkward joke to Anada Tiéga of the Bureau, whilst Geoff Cowan (South Africa) tries to pretend that he didn't overhear it.

The Agenda starts to get serious!  From left in the front, Max Finlayson (Australia), Bill Streever (SWS, blue shirt), Toré Söderqvist (GWEN), Rob Stoneman (IMCG, another blue shirt), and Antoinette Wannebo (CIESIN); and a whole collection of NGO Rowdies against the back wall.

The Partner Organization Line-up (from left): Dave Pritchard (BirdLife International), Chris Tydeman and Biksham Gujja (WWF), Nick Davidson and Scott Frazier (Wetlands International), Jean-Yves Pirot (IUCN, nodding off)

Head table -- the Secretariat: Bill Phillips and Delmar Blasco striving to contain their mirth.

A brief reading from the telephone book: Tex Hawkins (USA, at the microphone) stuns Bill Streever (from left), Max Finlayson (luckily hidden behind Tex), Jorge Jiménez (Costa Rica, just before taking over the chair; not Tex Hawkins' chair, the Real Chair), and (right) Margarita Astrálaga from the Bureau.

Geoff Cowan (left), Jan Pokorný (Czech Republic), Toomas Saat (Estonia), Tobias Salathé of the Bureau, and way back there on the right, Dr Peter Maitland.  And still more Ramsar Interns once again against the wall.

A quick view of the agenda: Antoinette Wannebo (stupified) and Rob Stoneman (pretty near stupified) assess their short-term futures till the lunch break. Toré Söderqvist (right) seeks to distract himself with idle chatter with the neighbors.

All the perpetrators in one somewhat blurry Line-Up.  And another . . .

Too many people here to try identifying individuals (more like a plate of colorful human spaghetti); after three days of  hearty labor for the Convention, they deserved better than a 32k JPG.  Try to imagine this on a big Cineplex movie screen, and with additional scenes. If you dare. . .

Photos of the Magnificent Reception.

For further information, please contact the Ramsar Convention Bureau, Rue Mauverney 28, CH-1196 Gland, Switzerland (tel +41 22 999 0170, fax +41 22 999 0169, e-mail ramsar@ramsar.org). Posted 8 October 1999, Dwight Peck, Ramsar.