The World Wilderness Congress (WWC)
WWC News
From 4-10 October, 2013, the WILD10 process will culminate in Salamanca, Western Spain, where some 1500 or more delegates from many countries will converge, joined by many thousands more on-line, for 7 days of varied and exciting activities, announcements, cultural events, trainings, associated meetings and symposia, and more.
The collaborative process has been on-going as many more partners use WILD10 as leverage for their own organizational objectives. The basic organization of the program looks like this. The plenary program is on track (4-5-6 October) with leaders announcing objectives and new models, from many different sectors. The Science and Stewardship Symposium, part of the Global Forum (8-10 October), has expanded its program due to the large submission of quality abstracts.
The main Congress is also preceded by a 2 day Intergovernmental Forum on Wilderness (IFW), in Salamanca, for government employees of all types – national, provincial, local, communal, tribal, international agencies.
Join us…be part of the movement to Make the World a Wilder Place!
Visit www.wild10.org for more information (available in Spanish & English!)
The World Wilderness Congress, now the world’s longest-running, public conservation project and environmental forum, has humble beginnings. Ian Player and his Zulu mentor Magqubu Ntombela were sitting on the banks of the Imfolozi River in 1974. As a team, they had guided many small trips into the African wilderness. For 8 years they lead groups of 8 people at a time for 5 days on trail. The wilderness experience changes the lives of many participants forever.
On this particular day, however, Magqubu turned to Ian and proposed something that has distinctly influence the global wilderness conservation scene: “We are doing good work,” he said, “but we need to do more. We should call an INDABA-KULU, a great gathering, for all people to come together for wilderness.
In a short 3 years time the first World Wilderness Congress convened in South Africa. It was a pioneering event, introducing the concept of wilderness as an issue of international importance. Each Congress there-after has broken new ground and has had real positive conservation results globally. The Congress has now convened 9 times on 5 continents and is the world’s longest-running, public conservation project and environmental forum.
The WWC is not your typical “conference” – it integrates art, science, management, government, academia, native leaders, youth, corporate leaders and advocates into a multi-year conservation program, with unique results at each convening. It is the best-known and most effective global platform for debating and acting on wilderness issues. We provide a balanced approach, taking on highly charged issues in a constructive manner, and most importantly helping to facilitate solutions.
WWCs are also critical venues for education, training, networking, and information exchange across diverse groups. Our goal is to build this global wilderness community through online communications in-between the physical gathering at each WWC.
The WWC is an ongoing conservation project, focused on practical outcomes in policy, new wilderness areas, new funding mechanisms, trainings for communities and professionals, and more. Read the outcomes of the most recent WWC, WILD9, which convened from 6-13 November 2009 in Merida, Mexico with 1800 delegates from 50 nations.
