The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands

World Wetlands Day 2002: India

Celebration of WWD-2002

We are planning to celebrate the WWD 2002 in a grand way at Chilika Lagoon, a Ramsar site of India. Here is our plan.

A.K.PATTNAIK, Chief Executive, Chilika Development Authority, Plot no 701, BJB NAGAR, BHUBANESWAR, ORISSA, Email ajitpattnaik@hotmail.com

The World Wetland Day 2002 would be celebrated in a befitting manner in Chilika lagoon a Ramsar site of India located along the east coast of Orissa. The WWD 2002 would be celebrated jointly by Chilika Development Authority, Pallishree a leading NGO working in Chilika area, State Tourism Department and the local community to commemorate the vibrant cultural heritage of the Chilika lagoon which used to serve as a natural port for the maritime trade in the past, a boat rally along with the boat sailing festival would be observed during the WWD-2002. More than 300 number of traditional boats decorated with ethnic touch and the local fisher-folk dressed in their traditional attire will participate in the boat rally as well as boat sailing festival.

Essay and debate competitions are conducted on the cultural heritage of the Chilika and on the history of Chilika in the schools up to 10th Standard. Ten prizes would be awarded to the successful students on various categories. A News letter in local language, a kit on the cultural heritage of Chilika and the values and functions of wetlands and about the Ramsar convention & a calendar would be released on WWD-2002.

More than 100 school would also celebrate WWD-2002 being sponsored by Chilika Development Authority and Pallishree which are located in and around Chilika as well as the Bhitarkanika another wetland which is going to be designated as Ramsar site soon, also in Ansupa lake which the largest freshwater lake of Orissa, India. To add colour to the celebration the local artist would perform an Orchestra with the song specially composed on wetland conservation and its cultural heritage. Street plays on environmental themes would be performed during the WWD-2002 celebration.

Dr. Bishnu Bhandari, from IGES Japan will participate in the WWD-2002 celebration and will address to the fisher-folk and other participants.

The State Tourism Department has given wide publicity and it is expected that about 1000 tourists who would be visiting Chilika on that day are likely to participate in the WWD-2002 celebration and they will witness the vibrant and colorful boat rally.

A detail report along with the photographs will be sent to Ramsar Bureau after the observation of WWD-2002.

Yours Sincerely,

A.K.PATTNAIK
ajitpattnaik@hotmail.com

For further information about the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, 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 30 January 2002, Dwight Peck, Ramsar.