IUCN, the International Union for Conservation of Nature

IUCN World Conservation Congress off to flying start

06 October 2008 | News story

The IUCN World Conservation Congress got off to a flying start in Barcelona today as it celebrated its 60th birthday.

At the opening ceremony, which was graced by royalty, Nobel Prize winners and political leaders, IUCN’s President Valli Moosa outlined the urgency with which the world needs to act to make the transition to sustainability and said the environmental community must provide leadership.

Delegations from 177 countries were treated to dramatic images of nature, aerial acrobats, stirring music and a line-up of prominent and compelling speakers.

“Conservation needs to be everyone’s business and put at the heart of all sectors of society, said Mr Moosa. “The environment needs to be part of the DNA of all private enterprises.”

Meanwhile, the Sailing to Barcelona fleet set off from Port Vell, Barcelona’s main harbour, to the Port Forum next to the Congress Centre.

The parade included boats from all over the world, including the Jadran, from Balkans, and the Tara, a polar research vessel which collected data from the Arctic showing the effects of climate change.

Back inside the Congress Centre, the International Women Environmental Entrepreneurs Fair got underway. The fair will run throughout the Congress and will highlight the economic, social and environmental inputs that women entrepreneurs bring to their countries and the world through green enterprises.