SD @ IUCN WCC-2: 10 October

IUCN Second World Conservation Congress : Images and RealAudio for 10 October

Briefing: Tuesday, 10 October

Delegates met in three Congress sittings throughout the day to address Commissions' mandates, the programme and budget, membership dues, membership policy and voting procedures. The Congress also considered and adopted numerous draft resolutions.


23rd, 24th and 25th SITTINGS OF THE CONGRESS
	From left to right: Martin Edwards, Elections Officer for WCC-2 (also at WCC-1 in Montreal); Frantisek Urban, Vice-President of UICN and Chair of the 23rd Sitting of the Congress; and Nick Robinson, Chair of the CEL.
COMMISSIONS' MANDATES: Sir Martin Holdgate, Chair of the Programme Committee, introduced a motion to amend wording on structure and organization of Commissions' mandates (CGR2.GOV001). He also discussed the independent external review. RealAudio excerpts of Holdgate's presentation	The Chair of the Finance and Audit Committee responded to concerns about the proposed increase in membership dues, but said these were needed for IUCN to continue providing its services. She recommended that a new methodology be drafted for a future Congress. IUCN Director General Maritta Koch-Weser said that a membership mutual assistance fund could be created to assist developing countries.
The US reaffirmed its zero nominal growth policy for the budget of international organizations, and opposed the three percent membership dues increase.
Chair of the Contact Group on GMOs introduces the draft resolution on IUCN's position on GMOs, which is described as too far-reaching by Sir Holdgate	the US urges a more cautious approach with regard to GMOs, and asks that IUCN not categorically reject a potentially life-saving technology
	Left, and below: delegates holding up their voting cards during votes on resolutions

Global Youth Reporters Programme
Over the lunch hour, WCC-2 participants gathered to to hear a presentation on IUCN's Global Youth Reporters Programme, a centerpiece of its Global Biodiversity Youth Awareness Campaign. Twelve 17-year-olds from around the world, along with seven young Jordanian, received training in journalism and have been given access to the tools of the trade here in Amman, with the aim of preparing thematic features on various aspects of the environment and its management. Reuters Foundation Trustee Stephen Somerville (right) presided over the presentation.
	His Excellency Aqul Bultagy, Minister of Tourism of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (left), who was attending on behalf of Queen Rania, spoke on the importance of training youth in environmental activism. Canadian television producers Via Le Monde premiered a short film documenting the development of IUCN's Global Youth Reporters Programme and the efforts of the young reporters committed to environment and sustainable development.

Donation of computers
The Organizing Committee of WCC-2 and Gateway Computers agreed to donate the 60 computers used by IUCN administration during the Congress. The computers will be distributed to public schools which have initiated programmes or projects with one of the IUCN-Jordan National Committee members or affiliate NGOs. Half of the computers will go to boys' schools, and half to girl's schools; and an even geographic distribution will also be respected. Gateway was represented by Read Dallal, National Gateway Sales Representative (below left, on the right), on behalf of Mike Swalwell, Senior Vice-President; while IUCN Director General Maritta Koch-Weser (below left, left-hand side) represented IUCN.

Below: IUCN-Jordan members accepting certificates representing the donated computers, which will be redeemable after the close of WCC-2. The representatives will then be responsible for bringing the computers to the schools and insuring that adequate training is in place to make use of the computers. The certificated are being awarded by Dr. Alia Buran, National Coordinator of IUCN-Jordan and General Coordinator of WCC-2 (below left, second from the left).

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