From January 15th to 18th, 2024, history was made as the first-ever Maldives Protected and Conserved Areas (PCA) Forum convened, uniting passionate individuals dedicated to the preservation of Maldives’ natural treasures. This landmark event served as a nexus for stakeholders from various sectors, facilitating the exchange of insights, forging partnerships, and harnessing collective wisdom to bolster conservation efforts.
🤝 Fostering Collaboration for Conservation
Under the auspices of the Ministry of Climate Change, Environment, and Energy, Maldives, and the Ocean Country Partnership Programme (OCPP), a UK-Government initiative operating under the Blue Planet Fund, the PCA Forum emerged as a testament to collaborative action. Technical expertise and support from the IUCN Asia Regional Office (ARO) further enriched the discourse, underscoring the commitment to advancing regional conservation agendas such as the 30×30 initiative and the IUCN Green List.
🌏 WIOMPAN represents
Gathering over 80 delegates encompassing representatives from the Maldivian Government, relevant authorities, non-governmental organizations, and esteemed international experts in protected area management, the forum provided a dynamic platform for knowledge exchange and strategic dialogue. Among the distinguished attendees was Mr. Allen Cedras, Director of Seychelles Parks and Gardens Authority (SPGA) and the esteemed leader of the Seychelles WIOMPAN chapter, whose participation heralded new opportunities for collaboration. Notably, discussions have commenced to formally integrate the Maldives into the WIOMPAN family as a country chapter, a testament to the burgeoning regional partnerships in conservation.
@SPGA