FRIDAY, 22 NOV. 2002

Delegates met in Technical Sessions on wetlands management and on cultural aspects of wetlands as a tool for conservation and sustainable use. Committees on Finance and the Strategic Plan and Work Plan convened, and contact groups met to continue discussions on agriculture, climate change and the San José Record.

Panel Presenters:
-Chaman Lal Trisal, Wetlands International
-Marie-Odile Guth, Director of Nature Conservation, France
-George Zalidis, STRP Greece
-Listen to Jack Rieley
International Peat Society
-Listen to Geoffrey Howard, IUCN

MORNING

The technical session on managing wetlands for sustainable use and human well-being began with panel presentations by invited experts, and continued with discussions on related draft resolutions in four regionally-based groups. The session was chaired by Natalya Kasymova (Uzbekistan).

Nick Davidson, Ramsar Deputy secretary General

Edith Wenger, WWF

AFTERNOON

The Technical Session on cultural aspects of wetlands as a tool for their conservation and sustainble use began with panel presentations by invited experts, and continued with regionally-based discussions. The Session was chaired by Clayton Rubec, Environment Canada.

Panel Presentations:
-Listen to Maria José Viñals
TSEHUMED-Universidad de Valencia, deliver an audio-visual presentation outlining different perspectives on the cultural heritage of wetlands.
-Listen to Thymio Papayannis Special Advisor to the Ramsar Secretary General, present an information paper and the draft resolution on guiding principles on the cultural aspects of wetlands, stressing that the resolution is a source of ideas and advice rather than constraint.

Many Delegates endorsed the resolution. Spain and Denmark (on behalf of the EU) highlighted the value of hunting. NGO's called for recognition of indigenous peoples' cultural rights. UNESCO welcomed its joint activities with Ramsar to improve the conservation of cultural and biological diversity, and promote a bio-cultural approach to sustainable development. Deputy Secretary General Davidson reminded delegates that the Ramsar Convention affirms the cultural value of wetlands in its preamble.

*ENB Summaries of COP-7 http://enb.iisd.org/vol17/

*ENB Linkages site of COP-7 (photos and audio)
http://enb.iisd.org/ramsar/cop7/

*RAMSAR COP 8 Homepage: http://www.ramsar.org/index_cop8.htm