The World Parks Congress as it has become known, is a 10 yearly event, which
provides a major global forum that sets an agenda on the management of protected
areas. The Congress is a major international event which offers a unique opportunity
to take stock of protected areas; provide an honest appraisal of progress and
setbacks; and chart the course for protected areas over the next decade and
beyond.
The WPC will be held in Durban, South Africa from 8 to 17 September 2003.
The challenge before the 2003 Congress will be to show how protected areas
are relevant to the broader economic, social and environmental agenda for humankind
in the 21st century.
The theme of the Congress responds to this challenge: "Benefits Beyond
Boundaries". It captures the opportunities for protected areas in the
next millennium and the range of meanings or interpretations implicit within
the terms "benefits" and "boundaries" provides the flexibility
to explore a wide variety of relevant sub-themes for the Congress.
The theme of the Vth World Parks Congress is "Benefits Beyond Boundaries".
The theme, not only responds to the programme, but also the vision of continually
reaching out to new constituencies and partners reinforcing the vital contribution
that protected areas make to sustaining life on earth. It also reflects our
growing understanding of the many values that protected areas provide and the
shifting approaches to their establishment and management.
World Parks Congress have a record of catalysing important change for protected
areas at all levels: global, regional, national and local.
The Durban Congress will tackle the following:
Celebrating Protected Areas
Celebrating and focusing the world on protected areas: an irreplaceable asset.
After 125 years of achievement the world has cause to celebrate! The almost
exponential growth in the number of protected areas and universal acceptance
of the protected area concept throughout the world represent a tremendous commitment
by countries to protect their biodiversity and heritage so that it may be passed
on to future generations.
The Big Issues
The WPC is the premier global event where the big issues for the protected
area profession will be drawn out and debated. The Congress programme seeks
to balance vigorous debate on these issues with a technical focus, which will
deliver useful outputs for those working in the profession. Issues on centre
stage in Durban will be the role of protected areas in alleviating poverty;
how protected areas adapt and anticipate global change - biophysical, economic,
and social; the place of protected areas as part of our sustainable future;
and the contribution of protected areas to security.
The Global Report Card
World Parks Congresses are the only occasions when a truly global picture
can be obtained for protected areas. The Congress will deliver a global 'Report
Card' for protected areas - a State of the Parks report detailing statistics
and an analysis of issues. The last UN List of Protected Areas was dated 1997,
and the new List to be delivered will offer the first global census of protected
areas in 6 years.
Delivering a toolbox for Global Action
The Congress is a strategic gathering from which will emerge a collective
vision for the future of protected areas in form of the Durban Accord as well
as an array of tools, policies and recommendations aimed at professionals and
decision-makers.
Building Partnerships
The Congress theme of 'Benefits Beyond Boundaries' will be demonstrated through
the development of stronger alliances between protected areas and other parts
of society and the global economy, such as the resource and tourism sectors.
A Focus on Africa
This is the first time a World Parks Congress will have been held in Africa.
Durban will influence African decision-makers and act as a stimulus for increased
support and action for the central role that protected areas can play in the
livelihoods of the peoples of Africa. The Congress aims to leave behind a legacy
for protected areas within Africa.
A number of Congress Workshops will be organized, thus
affording additional sponsorship opportunities for prospective donors. There
will be 7 unifying Congress sub-themes, each to be explored at Workshops
of up to 300 attendees. The themes will be:
Linkages in the Landscape Awareness and SupportGovernance
Capacity Building Management Effectiveness Finance and Resources
Gaps in the System
Several working groups will follow through on key Congress
outputs. They will be set up to cover:
The crafting of the Durban Accord; Securing strategic
alliances with representatives of various groups participating in the Congress;
Development and drafting of guidelines for protected
areas (PA's) in relation to the obligations of Contracting Parties to the
Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), to be delivered to the CBD Secretariat
with a focus on COP 7, 2004.
