Kathmandu, September 10: The International Conference on Conservation in Conflict has been concluded in Kathmandu, Nepal formulating the Kathmandu Declaration on September 7, 2006. The Declaration is to help promote strategies to manage conservation efforts during and after armed conflict situation. The Wildlife Watch Group organized the conference with Embassy of Finland, WWF Nepal, The Mountain Institute and IUCN Nepal.

The conference formed International Coalition for Conservation in Conflict (ICCC) to promote intersectoral and multicultural dialogues to increase awareness, public support and development codes of conducts and operational guidance during and post conflict. For immediate secretariat support of the ICCC, the organizer WWG was called upon to provide the support during the closing ceremony of the conference.

The conference held from Sep 5-7, 2006 in Kathmandu was participated by over 22 international participants representing different organizations in 18 countries namely - Afghanistan, Bolivia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Colombia, Finland, India, Kosovo, Liberia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Syria, Thailand, Uganda, United Kingdom and United States, and 44 in country participants from different I/NGOs working in the field of biodiversity and concern government institutions.

Representatives of all participating countries presented country paper that portrayed the state of biodiversity conservation and efforts they have been making in/after armed conflict situation. In the concluding session of the conference, Dr. Pushpa Rajkarnikar, Member of National Planning Commission, Government of Nepal was present as the Chief Guest, which was chaired by Dr. Tirtha Bahadur Shrestha.

Formerly the conference was jointly inaugurated by Mr. Gopal Rai, State Minister for Forest and Soil Conservation and Mr. Pauli Mustonen, Charge d'Affairs of Embassy of Finland to Nepal. Delivering his speech during the inaugural ceremony, State Minister Rai said that armed conflict was currently a matter of global threat which has impacted not only Asia but the whole World and should the conference discuss the whole ranges of issues in a free and frank manner so as to achieve the envisaged objective of the conference. In his inaugural speech Mr. Mustonen said that conservation should go uninterrupted even during conflict situation.

From the chair, Mr. Mangal Man Shakya, the Conference Director and Chairman of WWG said that in the humans should take a deep sense of responsibility to take care of our earth and all its gifts to mankind. He explained how Nepal, which set several examples of success in conservation, has become unfortunate witness to record the adverse effect of armed conflict on the environment because of the armed conflict.

In the inaugural ceremony delivering keynote speech IUCN Vice-President Mr. Javed Jabbar said that armed conflict has presented conservationists with a new set of challenges and advocated the sustainable use of natural resources for the overall well-being of people. He urged to promote cross-sectoral collaboration within government and civil society, and called for a more proactive role of the conservation movement in addressing post conflict scenario as an essential part of sustainable development in the conflict-ridden countries.

Mr. Brian Peniston, Himal Program Director, The Mountain Institute, Dr. Chandra Gurung, Country Representative, WWF Nepal, Mr. Prabhu Budhathoki, Country Representative, IUCN Nepal and Dr. Tirth Man Maskey, Co-Chair of Asian Rhino Specialist Group also delivered remarks speech in the ceremony.

The conference began with a minute of silence in tribute to those all conservation workers who lost their lives while on duty in the armed conflict in Nepal and around the world.

Read Kathmandu Declaration

for detail information please contact:

Mr. Mangal Man Shakya Conference Director/Chairman WILDLIFE WATCH GROUP Wise Use House Jwagal-10 Kopundol, Lalitpur, Kathmandu Nepal GPO Box 8975, EPC 696 Kathmandu, Nepal Tel: +977 1 5550452, 5553870, 5524188, 5011010 Fax: +977-1-5011006 E-mail: wwg@citesnepal.org, info@citesnepal.org www.citesnepal.org