A delegation representing IDEA has participated at the 2016 IUCN World Conservation Congress, which took place on 01-10 September 2016 in Honolulu, Hawai’i.

As an IUCN member, IDEA took close part in the sessions of the Congress, including the election of the organization’s new President and Regional Councillors and the discussion and approval of the IUCN Programme for the next four years. IDEA contributed to discussions on environmental messages and brought the threats facing the biodiversity of Azerbaijan as well as the wider region to the attention of the global community.

IDEA’s unique booth installed at the Congress venue garnered great interest among the event’s participants. The walls of the booth were decorated by paintings of the head and founder of IDEA Leyla Aliyeva illustrating the rare flora and fauna species of Azerbaijan. The images of the gazelle and leopard reflected the significance of these amazing creatures for our environment as well as the threats that faced them. Apart from enjoying the remarkable design of the booth, thousands of visitors have also learned about the fascinating nature of Azerbaijan. Winners of little contests held among visitors were presented with various memorial gifts from Baku Corner.

The IDEA’s booth demonstrated the biodiversity protection projects carried out by the organization in the last 5 years as well as the achieved results, displayed the documentary films on Azerbaijan’s natural treasures, including films about the Goygol, Ag-gol and Shirvan national parks produced within “Nine Wonders of Azerbaijan” series at the initiative of IDEA, and presented comprehensive information of the country’s ecosystems. IDEA’s numerous promotional and informative materials were presented to visitors. Both the Congress participants and the local public praised IDEA’s conservation efforts and activities.

The Director General of IUCN Inger Andersen commended IDEA’s active participation in the work of the Congress as well as its beautiful booth. She has also expressed IUCN’s appreciation of Leyla Aliyeva’s environmental efforts and support for projects related to nature conservation.

Held under the motto “Planet at the crossroads”, the 2016 IUCN World Conservation Congress was attended by more than ten thousand representatives from 192 countries. The main outcome of the Congress was the adoption of the post-2015 agenda dubbed the “Hawai’i Commitments” and a roadmap. The core commitments envisaged in the document covered issues such as no-go areas for industrial activities within protected areas, protection of oceans and forests, etc. 

IDEA is an IUCN member since 2014. Founded in 1948, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is the world’s largest and oldest professional conservation network. The organization has more than 1,200 members, including 200 government and 900 non-government organizations and brings together about 11,000 scientists and experts from 160 different countries. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species is considered as the world’s most comprehensive information source on the global conservation status of biological species.