World Wildlife Day 2026, March 3rd.

FORUM: ”Medicinal and Aromatic Plants - Conserving Health, Heritage and Livelihoods.” World Wildlife Day 2026. This year’s theme shines a spotlight on the extraordinary plants that have supported human well‑being for centuries. It also invites us all to learn from the communities, experts and knowledge‑holders working to conserve these species and the cultural traditions surrounding them. The year also coincide with the 51st anniversary of the entry into force of Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in 1975. With more than 1 million species now estimated to be threatened with extinction amid the intensifying triple planetary crisis, innovative finance for wildlife conservation has never been more urgent. Over half of the world’s gross domestic product (GDP) is dependent on nature, making biodiversity loss an increasing threat to financial stability and livelihoods. Let’s celebrate the incredible diversity of wild fauna and flora that sustains our planet. As the global celebration will invite us to rediscover the richness of medicinal and aromatic plants - plants that represent cultural heritage, and support livelihoods - hold immense value for human and planetary health. The celebration will recognize the traditional knowledge behind their use, the communities conserving these species, and our shared responsibility to ensure their conservation for future generations. Building on a collaborative spirit, the forum will serve as a platform for exchanging ideas, showcasing solutions and advancing wildlife conversation on how innovative finance can contribute to halting biodiversity loss, raising the interest of private sector stakeholders to invest in wildlife conservation, and creating a sustainable future. Follow the conversations with the hashtags:  #WWD2026, #Medicinalplants, #Aromaticplants #3March, #WorldWildlifeDay, #WWD2026, #wildlifeconservation.

EVENTS: At UNHQ in New York, NY, United States of America. On March 3rd, the World Wildlife Day 2026 will be celebrated under the critical theme of “Medicinal and Aromatic Plants - Conserving Health, Heritage and Livelihoods”. The event will showcase key global initiatives in wildlife finance. For example, the Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) works to demonstrate how nature-positive economies can work for people and the planet; the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund (GBFF) established by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) to help countries achieve the Targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework; the Green Climate Fund (GCF) which works to increase access to climate finance for biodiversity rich (and other) developing countries; the Biodiversity Credit Alliance which works to facilitate the transition to a nature positive economy; as well as other initiatives.

At UN GENEVA, on Tuesday, 3 March 2026, from 13:30 to 15:30 Central European Time, the World Wildlife Day 2026 Virtual Celebration will take place online. The virtual celebration will shine a spotlight the vital contributions of medicinal and aromatic plants to human health, cultural heritage, livelihoods and ecosystems, while celebrating those who steward them and reflecting on our shared responsibility to conserve these species and the benefits they provide for future generations. This event will feature stories and presentations about the sustainable use and conservation of medicinal and aromatic plants by Member States, scientific experts, high-level officials from international organisations, industry stakeholders, local community leaders and youth network members. The event will be moderated by Ms Ivonne Higuero, Secretary-General, CITES. Explore the WWD 2026 panelists!

High-level Opening speakers include:

• Mr Kristopher Blake, Chair, CITES Standing Committee, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
• H.E. Mrs Francisca Méndez Escobar, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Permanent Representative of México to the United Nations at Geneva
• Ms Inger Andersen, Executive Director, UNEP
• Ms Francine Pickup, Deputy Assistant Administrator, UNDP

Musical Performance with Medicinal Plants will be performed by Ms Helen Anahita Wilson, Composer, Sound Artist and Wellcome Trust Research Fellow, King's College London

2026 United Nations Endangered Species Stamps will be launched by the CITES Secretariat and the United Nations Postal Administration.

Lightning Talks on the Trade and Conservation of Medicinal & Aromatic Plants around the World will be moderated by Mr TING Wai Kit, Co-Founder, CITES Global Youth Network and Youth Executive, Mandai Nature.

Speakers include:

• Dr Rita Engel, Horticultural Engineer, Department of Botany in the University of Veterinary Medicine in Budapest
• Dr Melesse Maryo, Associate Professor, Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Authority
• Ms Kalpana Sharma Dhakal, Scientific Officer Department of Plant Resources of Nepal
• Dr Tim Synnott, Former Executive Director, Forest Stewardship Council

Statements from the Floor by Member States will be made by:

• H.E. Dr. Linkham Duangsavanh, Minister of Agriculture and Environment of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic
• H.E. Ms Irene Vélez Torres, Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development of Colombia
• H.E. Lt. Gen. Bashir Mohamed Jama, Minister of Environment and Climate Change of Somalia
• Ms Célia de Lavergne, Director of Water and Biodiversity, Ministry of Ecological Transition and Territorial Cohesion of France

Jackson Wild 2026 Film Showcase Selections will be revealed by Ms Christie Quinn, Executive Director, Jackson Wild.

Stakeholder Stories from Along the Medicinal and Aromatic Plant Value Chain will be moderated by Ms Anastasiya Timoshyna, Director of the European Programme Office, TRAFFIC and Co-Chair, IUCN Species Survival Commission Medicinal Plant Specialist Group

Speakers include:

• Ms Emma Willliams, CITES Policy Officer, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, United King of Great Britain and Northern Irelan
• Ms Neida Andi Arimuya, Kichwa Indigenous Spiritual Guide from the Amazonian Ecuador
• His Majesty MVONDO Bruno, the President of African Network of Traditional Leaders for Environmental Conservation and the Sustainable Management of Ecosystems and Forests, Cameroon
• Ms Elisa Aragon, Co-Founder, Nelixia, Paraguay.
• Ms Jamie Horst, Chief Purpose Officer, Traditional Medicinals, United States of America

Ifaw 2026 Youth Art Contest Winners and Finalists will be announced by Mr Azzedine Downes, President and CEO, ifaw

Takeaway Messages will be delivered by:

Dr Grethel Aguilar, Director General, IUCN
Mr Richard Scobey, Executive Director, TRAFFIC

Closing.

This virtual event is organized by the Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Geneva Environment Network (GEN), Jackson Wild, the International Fund for Animal Welfare (ifaw), TRAFFIC and the IUCN Species Survival Commission Medicinal Plant Specialist Group. Register to participate and to get access interpretation in English, French and Spanish and Watch the livestream!

To mark the World Wildlife Day 2026, the CITES Secretariat will leverage the expertise, knowledge, and creativity of key stakeholders through collaborative partnerships with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Jackson Wild, the International Fund for Animal Welfare (ifaw), WILDLABS, the Geneva Environment Network, and other organizations. This event will feature a musical performance with medicinal plants, an expert panel discussion on the 2026 theme, statements from Member States, the announcement of the winner of the International Youth Art Contest, and a trailer premiere of the 2026 Jackson Wild Film Showcase. The World Wildlife Day International Youth Art Contest and the winners will be presented during the high-level event. Congratulations in advance to the winner of the annual WWD Poster Contest!. On and around March 3rd, many side-events, seminars, workshops and excursions will be held worldwide. For enquiries, please contact wildlifeday@un.org

LIVESTREAM:The United Nations Celebration Event, to be livestreamed on the World Wildlife Day 2016 on Tuesday, 3 March 2026. 

Statement of the United Nations Secretary-General on World Wildlife Day 2026, March 3rd.

It is no secret that human activity has pushed millions of animal species to the brink. But we pay far less attention to plants, the planet’s unsung architects.

Across the Earth, flora underpin economies, support human health and sustain almost every other form of life. This is particularly true of medicinal and aromatic plants — the theme of this year’s World Wildlife Day.

Therapeutic species are vital to both traditional and modern medicine, supporting the livelihoods of millions and the well-being of many times more. Plants boost biodiversity, stabilize soils and represent centuries of knowledge and stewardship by Indigenous Peoples and local communities.

But today, this living heritage is under threat. The climate crisis, habitat destruction, overharvesting and illegal trade are accelerating the decline of thousands of plants, putting incomes and ecologies at risk.

By strengthening global environmental governance through pacts like the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna, and the Agreement on Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction, we can make our planet safer for all living things.

I urge all countries to become gardeners of the global commons. Together, we can ensure that the ecosystems that have healed humanity for millennia sustain us for generations to come.

 António Guterres, UN Secretary-General.

OTHER STATEMENTS : Read the Statement of the United Nations Secretary-General on World wildlife Day 2026; march 3rd; the Statement by the World Bank Group GWP Enviroment Director, Mme Valerie Hickey on World Wildlife Day 2026; March 3rd, the Statement of the FAO Director-General; Mr Qu Dongyu on World Wildlife Day 2026; March 3rd, the Statement of the BRS Conventions, Executive secretary, Mr Rolph Payet on World Wildwife Day 2026; March 3rd; the Statement of the ITPGR Secretary; Dr Kent Nnadozie on World Wildlife Day 2026; March 3rd; the Statement by the World Heritage Centre, Director, Mr Lazare, Eloundou Assomo for World Wildlife Day 2026, March 3rd; the Statement of the UNEP Executive-director, Mme Inger Andersen on World Wildlife Day 2026; March 3rd; the Statement by the CITES Secretary-General, Mme Ivonne Higuero for World Wildlife Day 2026, March 3rd; the Statement by the UNDP Policy & Programme, Mme. Francine Pickup for World Wildlife Day 2026, March 3rd; the Statement by the Secretary-General of the Convention on Wetlands; Mme. Musonda Mumba for World Wildlife Day 2026, March 3rd; the Statement by the Executive Director of the Jackson wild, Christie Quinn For World Wildlife Day 2026, March 3rd; the Statement by the IFAW CEO and President, Mr Azzedine Downes for World Wildlife Day 2026, March 3rd; the Statement by the Director General of the IUCN, Mme Grethel Aguilar For World Wildlife Day 2026, March 3rd; the Statement by the TRAFFIC Executive Director Richard Scobet on World Wildlife Day 2026, March 3rd; the Statement by the CBD Executive secretary; Mme Astrid Schomaker for World Wildlife Day 2026, March 3rd; the Statement by the WWF Biodiversity Lead, Mr. Carlos Drews for World Wildlife Day 2026, March 3rd.

AGENDA PROGRAMME

GET INVOLVED!
As we approach 3 March, there are several ways to take part in this year’s global celebration:

Organise and register your satellite celebration activity or event on the World Wildlife Day website and share with the world how you plan to celebrate in your community.
Download, use and share the Official WWD2026 Poster, designed by the Official Poster Contest Winner Ms Hannah Payet, and promote the theme at your event, with a virtual background, or on social media.
Submit your film to the Jackson Wild Film Showcase, deadline extended to 11 February, to share your powerful stories about wildlife and the people conserving it.
Use the WWD2026 Social Media Kit, which contains ready-made social media assets to support your outreach leading up to or on the Day.

World Hearing Day 2026; March 3rd.

FORUM:“From communities to classrooms: hearing care for all children.” World Hearing Day 2026. This year’s theme campaign focuses on two imperatives: (1) Preventing avoidable childhood hearing loss by Ensuring early identification of and care for children with ear or hearing problems. and (2) Schools and communities are natural entry points to reach children, parents, and teachers. By integrating hearing care into school health and child health programmes, we can help children hear, learn, and succeed. Around 90 million children aged 5-19 years, live with hearing loss. Over 60% of childhood hearing loss is preventable through simple, cost-effective public health measures. Among those living with ear diseases or hearing loss, early identification and care are crucial to prevent long-term impacts on development, education, and future opportunities. Integrating systematic screening and early intervention programmes into school health and child health plans can ensure improved outcomes for children living with ear or hearing problems. Globally, over 80% of ear and hearing care needs remain unmet. Unaddressed hearing loss poses an annual cost of nearly US$1 trillion globally. Deeply ingrained societal mis-perceptions and stigmatizing mindsets are key factors that limit efforts for preventing and addressing hearing loss. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that unaddressed hearing loss poses an annual cost of $980 billion each year. This is the cost incurred due to the impact of hearing loss without rehabilitation access, including productivity losses and social exclusion. Empowered individuals can drive change within themselves and in society at large Join Us, Empower yourself and others by taking steps today to ensure good hearing health throughout life. Follow the conservation with the hashtags: #worldhearingday; #hearingcare. #3march.

EVENTS: On March 3rd, to mark the World Hearing Day 2026; The Member States, partners and stakeholders will organize a webinar to raise awareness in communities, in order to address mis-perceptions around ear and hearing problems and ensure accessible ear and hearing care. The event will mark the launch of the WHO-ITU Global standard for safe listening in video game play and sports and the launch of the School module on smart listening, for inclusion into educational programs. It is an opportunity for all of us to make a difference. As stakeholders, partners, and advocates, we can collectively empower ourselves and others. As part of activities promoting World Hearing Day, the World Hearing Forum (WHF), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the Coalition for Global Hearing Health (CGHH) invite proposals for WHF-CGHH Small Grants for World Hearing Day 2026. Kindly register to participate to events to get global visibility. The event information will be made available to a wider global audience.

EXHIBITS: Changing mindsets is essential to making ear and hearing care accessible.Through this photo exhibition and related stories, the World Health Organization and the World Hearing Forum draws attention to the positive impact of timely identification and management of ear and hearing problems in order to correct existing mis-perceptions and change damaging mindsets.

PUBLICATIONS: This planning guide provides a basic and practical framework for any person or organization interested in observing World Hearing Day to raise awareness and promote ear and hearing care (EHC) at national and community levels across the world. The guide is a resource for those working in the field of ear and hearing care. It has been prepared to provide you with the World Hearing Day branding and key messages and introduce you to the resources for the development of your campaign. Use it to get involved with World Hearing Day and encourage others to join the global campaign. By uniting our efforts, we can help make ear and hearing care a worldwide priority issue. Read the Primary ear and hearing care training manual.

RESEARCH: This paper provides insights into the requirements and expectations of people with hearing loss in engagement with connected devices at home, derived from a questionnaire and a stakeholder workshop, and supported by relevant literature. Whether they like it or not, people with hearing loss may depend on a hearing person or technologies (e.g. hearing aid and voice recognition to text) to communicate and interact with the hearing world. While technology intervention can reduce needs for help from hearing people, it inevitably increases dependency on technologies. This can lead to people with hearing loss feeling out of control, especially when communication technologies do not function as expected, often without any back-up, failsafe or contingency plans. Without reliable technologies – mainstream and/or specialist – to bridge the gap between visual- and voice-based (oral) communications, people with hearing loss are at risk of isolation and exclusion.

Living with Hearing Loss in a Connected Home: White Paper from the UCL Department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy (STEaPP)

Induced Hearing Deficit Generates Experimental Paranoia: The development of paranoid reactions was investigated in normal people experiencing a temporary loss of hearing. Research from AAAS Science.

Rescue of autosomal dominant hearing loss by in vivo delivery of mini dCas13X-derived RNA base editor; Research from AAAS Science.

PROJECTS: Overview of Global Projects in Specific regions.

STATEMENTS: "World Hearing Day 2026 is an opportunity for all of us to make a difference. As stakeholders, partners, and advocates, we should collectively act now so no child is left behind due to ear and hearing problems." Read the full Message from the WHO Director-General on World Hearing Day 2026; March 3rd.

COMMUNICATION MATERIALS: Get the poster in English, in Chinese, in Russian, in French, in Spanish, in Arabic. The action tookit and campaign assets are also available.

World Wildlife Day 2021, 03 March

 

PRESENTED BY UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME (UNDP)

 UN Chamber Music Society
Virtual Performance at the Observance of
World Wildlife Day 2021
“Forests and livelihoods: sustaining people and planet”

Wednesday, 3 March 2021

8:00am – 11:00am EST

WATCH THE PERFORMANCE

World Wildlife Day CONCERT at UN Chamber Music Society

 

On 3 March 2021, the UN Chamber Music Society of the United Nations Staff Recreation Council will perform during the celebration of World Wildlife Day 2021, hosted by the United Nations Development Programme.  The focus of this year's World Wildlife Day is "Forests and livelihoods: sustaining people and planet", which sheds light on the links between the state of our planet’s forests and woodlands and the preservation of the millions of livelihoods that depend directly on them, with a particular attention to the traditional knowledge of the communities who have managed forest ecosystems and its wildlife for centuries.

In celebration of World Wildlife Day, the UN Chamber Music Society will perform a programme inspired by wildlife - 'Flocks a Mile Wide' – composed by 2x Grammy award winning composer, Christopher Tin.  Founded in 2016, the UN Chamber Music Society carries out the United Nations’ mission of peace, understanding and cooperation, through the universal language of music.  All musicians will perform chamber ensemble music from the safety of their homes, to help stem the spread of the coronavirus.
 

MESSAGES

H. E. Mr. António Guterres, UN Secretary-General

Ms. Ivonne Higuero, CITES Secretary-General

H.E. Mr. Federico Tenorio Calderón, Minister for Agriculture and Irrigation of Peru

Ms. Fawn Sharp, President, Quinault Indian Nation and President, National Congress of American Indians

Ms. Elizabeth Mrema, Executive Secretary, Convention on Biological Diversity 


UN Chamber Music Society

of the United Nations Staff Recreation Council
Brenda Vongova, Artistic Director

MUSIC PROGRAMME

CHRISTOPHER TIN (1976 - ) 'Flocks a Mile Wide'
Hana Mundiya (Violin I), Rohan Mundiya (Violin II), Abigail Elder (Viola), Derek Louie (Cello), Kohei Yamaguchi (Bass), Sarah Favinger (Bass), Brenda Vongova (Piano), Tom Betsalel (Percussion)

 

SPECIAL THANKS

Video Editing

Daniel Drake, Video Editor

 

Audio Production
VIRTUA CREATIVE
Edward Bilous, Artistic Director and Producer
Anran Qian, Production Coordinator 
Greg Kalember, Mix Engineer

World Hearing Day 2021, March 03

 "Hearing care for all" is the theme of World Hearing Day 2021. World Health Organization

WHO: 1 in 4 people projected to have hearing problems by 2050

The report, launched ahead of World Hearing Day, 3 March, underlines the need to rapidly step up efforts, Note to Editors World HearingDay 2021 Launch of the World Report on Hearing

If you having difficulties in communicating.

Be mindful of everyone's needs.

World Wildlife Day 2016, March 21

World Wildlife Day, March 3.
Всемирный день дикой природы, 3 марта.
世界野生动植物日, 3月3日.
Día Mundial de la Vida Silvestre, 3 de Marzo.
Journée mondiale de la Vie Sauvage, le 3 Mars.
يوم العالمي للحياة البرية، 3 مارس

Theme 2016 : The Future of wildlife is in our hands.
Тема 2016: Будущее дикой природы в наших руках.
主题2016 : 野生动植物的未来就在我们手中
Tema 2016: El futuro de la vida silvestre está en nuestras manos.
Thème 2016: L'avenir de la faune est dans nos mains.
 موضوع عام 2016: مستقبل الحياة البرية في أيدينا

United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon  Message for World Wildlife Day 2016.

Calls on Citizens, States, Businesses to Protect Plants, Animals from Exploitation, Trafficking. United Nations,

Global efforts to protect wildlife are gathering force. Last year, United Nations Member States adopted the Sustainable Development Goals, which include specific targets to end poaching. The General Assembly also unanimously agreed a resolution to limit illicit trafficking in wildlife. These powerfu...l expressions of political determination to end these highly destructive crimes are now being translated into actions on the ground through collective efforts by countries around the world.

However, to protect this essential natural heritage for this and future generations, much more needs to be done by key actors on all continents and across sectors. In particular, conservation efforts need to engage communities that live in close proximity with wildlife.

Time is running out to end the poaching crisis that threatens some of the world’s most iconic species. To combat poaching and trafficking of protected species it is essential to address both the demand and supply of illegal wildlife products through agreed goals and targets and international instruments, such as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.

For too long, the world has been witness to heartbreaking images of the mass slaughter of elephants for their tusks. According to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, the killing of African elephants and trafficking in their ivory remain alarmingly high. Asian elephants are also subject to growing levels of poaching.

Many other species, such as cheetahs, pangolins, rhinos, sea turtles, sharks, tigers, whales and high-value timber, face a variety of different challenges, including from habitat change, overexploitation or illicit trafficking.

On this World Wildlife Day, I call on all citizens, businesses and Governments to play their part in protecting the world’s wild animals and plants. The actions taken by each of us will determine the fate of the world’s wildlife. The future of wildlife is in our hands.

Ban Ki-moon

Message from CITES Secretary-General John E. Scanlon on World Wildlife Day 2016.

3rd March is wildlife’s special day on the United Nations calendar.

 

On the occasion of World Wildlife Day last year UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called upon us to “get serious about wildlife crime.” And the global community heeded this call. In 2015 the UN General Assembly adopted a dedicated resolution on tackling illicit trafficking in wildlife and the Sustainable Development Goals, which include specific targets to stop this illicit trafficking.

The current wildlife crisis is not a natural phenomenon – unlike a drought, a flood or a cyclone.  It is the direct result of people’s actions. People are the cause of this serious threat to wildlife and people must be the solution, which also requires us to tackle human greed, ignorance and indifference.  

Wildlife loss threatens our own personal well being, the livelihoods of local communities and, in some cases, even national economies and security. And today we are seeing a global collective effort to end wildlife trafficking. Across every continent governments and citizens are tackling both demand and supply – making wildlife crime much riskier and far less profitable.

Although overall levels of poaching and smuggling remain far too high, we are seeing improvements in some countries and with some wildlife populations. We are beginning to turn the tide on wildlife trafficking – but much still remains to be done – and success, very often, comes down to the actions of committed individuals. That is why this year we are rallying around the theme “the future of wildlife is in our hands.”

The 3rd of March is an opportunity for all of us – no matter who we are or where we are – to commit to securing a sustainable future for wild animals and plants, as well as for ourselves. Our collective success will rely upon the individual actions taken by each one of us – by you and by me.

Join us in celebrating World Wildlife Day 2016!

 

John E. Scanlon, Secretary-General of CITES

Message from UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner on World Wildlife Day 2016, March 3rd.

 

Poaching and the illegal trade in wildlife have reached unprecedented levels. From 2010 to 2012 alone, over 100,000 elephants were poached in Africa. Some rhino populations face extinction. As few as 3,200 tigers exist in the wild today. The disappearance of individual species threatens biodiversity, and by extension, the life support systems on our planet. Our responsibility is to look after wildlife. World Wildlife Day is a call to become more informed and more involved in stopping this crime against nature, communities and future generations.

 

Achim Steiner, Executive Director

Message from UNODC Executive Director Yury Fedotov on World Wildlife Day 2016, March 3rd.

Wildlife and forest crime destroys diversity and hinders sustainable development on our planet. Billions of dollars in profit are made from this crime. In 2015, 1,175 rhinos were poached in South Africa, while Central Africa has now lost 64 per cent of its elephants in less than a decade.

The industrial scale of the killing, the heinous murder of park rangers, the seizures of shipments measured not in kilos, but tons, point to organized crime’s involvement in these acts of unconscionable greed.

If we are to conserve animal and plant species for successive generations, we must take on the criminals and end the impunity often associated with this crime.

To achieve this, an integrated approach is needed to reduce demand and interrupt supply through the seizure of shipments, assets and proceeds.  Help must also be offered to local communities to provide alternative livelihoods, build local enterprises and to empower communities to live in harmony with their surroundings.

Crimes against wildlife and forests must also be viewed as a serious crime to trigger the application of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and to enable greater international cooperation, joint operations and the sharing of information.

The future of wildlife is in our hands, but if we are to be successful against the criminals those hands must be joined in proud partnership and close cooperation.

I welcome the commitment and efforts of Member States, UN agencies, CITES and its partners on behalf of flora and fauna everywhere. We must all work together to translate commitments into meaningful impact on the ground.

On World Wildlife Day, I urge everyone to play their part in protecting our wildlife and forests and in defeating the criminals who threaten this noble goal.

Yury Fedotov, Executive Director, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime

Message from CBD Executive Secretary Braulio F. de Souza Dias on World Wildlife Day 2016.

Integral to the balance of nature, wildlife nurtures us with a sense of wonder and serves as a source of inspiration. Wildlife is also the basis of biodiversity. Biodiversity in the wild is just as important to our wellbeing as biodiversity in plants and animals used for human consumption. Wildlife is incremental to forestry, fishery and tourism livelihoods around the world. Quite simply, biodiversity keep ecosystems functional providing the ecosystem services that allow us to survive, get enough food to eat and make a living.

The conservation and sustainable use of wildlife is therefore a critical component of sustainable development, and should be part of a comprehensive approach to achieving poverty eradication, food security and sustainable livelihoods.

Yet despite the clear links between wildlife, sustainable development and human wellbeing, wildlife is under immediate threat. Some of the world’s most charismatic species, as well as lesser known and perhaps less charismatic but ecologically important plants and animals stand at the brink of extinction. Habitat loss, climate change, invasive species, pollution and poaching are among the biggest threats.

This year’s World Wildlife Day theme, “The future of wildlife is in our hands”, celebrates and pays particular focus on African and Asian elephants.   Poaching and trafficking of ivory is one of the most serious immediate threats to African elephants, with Asian elephants subject to growing levels of poaching. As important seed dispersers, the decline of elephants can trigger the extinction of certain plants which could cause declines in other species of wildlife that depend on them.  This poses critical consequences for vital ecological processes, which if left unaddressed could aggravate further socio-ecological pressures and impacts. Therefore attention on this Day should garner efforts in developing strategies to preserve these precious species subjected to illegal trade in the wake of growing known and unknown pressures.

It is no exaggeration to say that wildlife is crucial to the lives of a high proportion of the world's population.  For indigenous people and many local communities and some rural households, local wild animals serve as their source of meat protein and local trees provide their fuel. And both wild animals and plants provide components of traditional medicine used by people throughout the world. But while many people in the developed world may barely notice a reduced supply of a particular household item, people living in the developing world are often entirely dependent on the uninterrupted availability of local wildlife resources.

Every action has a ripple effect. For example, the illegal wildlife trade and the overexploitation of species not only harm species and ecosystems; they affect the livelihoods of indigenous people and local communities and negatively impacts tourist attractions, which in turn compromises efforts towards poverty reduction and the achievement of sustainable development.  The overexploitation of species also threatens the planet. Overfishing not only affects individual fishing communities and threatens certain fish species, but causes imbalances in the whole marine system. The careful and thoughtful use of wildlife species and their habitats is required to avoid not only extinctions, but serious disturbances to the complex web of life.

The Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity as one of 13 members of the Collaborative Partnership on Sustainable Wildlife Management (CPW) has been raising awareness of various aspects of sustainable wildlife management leveraging tools and fostering international cooperation to enhance the livelihood of local communities and to promote the conservation of ecosystems by private and community holders. A progress report describing the work undertaken by the CPW since the twelfth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 12) to the Convention on Biological Diversity will be made for the twentieth meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice, to be held in April 2016, in Montreal.

At COP 13 this December, Parties will have an opportunity to address sustainable wildlife management as a cross cutting strategic action for mainstreaming biodiversity into sectors including forestry, agriculture, fisheries and tourism.  We would all do well to reflect upon what we can do to safeguard wildlife for the next generation. By conserving and sustainably using species we not only protect the ecosystems and ecosystem services that underlie our economies and well-being, we help millions of people and help save the utterly irreplaceable planet we live on.

 

Convention on Biological Diversity Executive Secretary Dr. Braulio F. de Souza Dias

Message from Kaddu Kiwe Sebunya, President of African Wildlife Foundation on the occasion of World Wildlife Day 2016.

It is amazing to think that in an age of smartphones, high-speed trains and jetliners, there are still places on this planet where herds of elephants by the hundreds trudge across savannas, and where a silverback and his mountain gorilla family spend their days eating, playing and simply living in a verdant volcanic range. In today’s modern era, these ancient scenes are truly extraordinary. They are also fragile.
Africa’s elephants, rhinos, lions and other species live on a continent and in a world that is rapidly changing. Africa’s population is the fastest growing in the world and also the youngest. The continent is home to some of the world’s fastest growing economies. As the infrastructure is laid to accommodate this change, so the threats to the continent’s wildlife and wild lands heighten. Shrinking and fragmenting habitats, increased human-wildlife conflict, poaching and wildlife trafficking—all of these threats challenge our ability to secure a future for wildlife, in Africa and around the world. It is a challenge I believe we are absolutely capable of overcoming, however.
It is false and frankly short-sighted to assume that in the quest for modernity, we must sacrifice our wildlife. It is possible to have smartphones and elephants, lions and railways, giraffes and high-performing schools. To realize that future, we need political commitments at the highest level to devote adequate resources toward conservation. We must integrate protection of wildlife into national and regional planning to maintain the intactness and integrity of ecosystems and secure our unique natural heritage. We should make responsible stewardship of wildlife and wild lands a meaningful criterion for measuring internal governance and ethical investing.
Yes, we can do this. On World Wildlife Day, it is worth remembering that just as we are endowed with a rich natural heritage, we are also endowed with the tools and the knowledge to protect it. We work toward the day when we can say the future of wildlife is in good hands.

 

Message from Peter Fearnhead, CEO, African Parks on World Wildlife Day 2016.

 

The future of wildlife is in everybody’s hands, and at African Parks, we have more than 800 rangers who are fighting each and every day and putting their own lives on the frontline to protect Africa’s most threatened species – elephants, rhinos, lions, and gorillas. But it cannot be their fight alone; they are not just protecting their wildlife, they are protecting the world’s wildlife – yours and mine. These are species that inspire us, serve as ecosystem guardians, and their existence can support local economies. They define who we are more than we can possibly know, so it is in their survival where our own precarious future lies.

Message from the Black Mambas Anti-poaching Unit, South Africa on the occasion of World Wildlife Day 2016.

In a time that the world is in conflict with itself on so many issues and despite our differences and political pressures, we all have a chance to unite our cultures and put aside our differences to stand together for the wildlife that are in need of our help. The World Wildlife Day provides us this unique opportunity. This is the day that binds us together across the earth; our compassion and empathy for our wild animals and plants that have shared this planet with  us for so long. Let us make this our goal. Let us rejoice in their numbers and not only the money that we can make from their ivory, their horns, their trophies and commodities. Let us recognise that the elephants, rhinos, pangolins and lions enrich our lives and give us an identity that makes us proud to be African. Without these things, we are no longer unique. We no longer have something special to offer the world.
We, the people of this generation, are the only ones that can make our children proud of how we responded to the cries for help from our elephants and rhinos, whilst the pangolin and mighty roar of the lions fade into history. Let our children not judge us on how we let these slip through our fingers whilst we fought over oil and money.
What makes us unique? The sunsets of Africa? The beautiful landscapes? Our beaches? NO! Everyone has these things. What we have got, that no one else has got, is the roar of the wild lion, the road blocked by elephants, the clashing of rhino horns at a muddy waterhole, the cry of the hyena and song of the jackal. Were these sounds, smells and sights all just a display of their might, or for our entertainment? Or have we become deaf to their cries for our help?
For so long the lions and elephants and beasts that beat with the rhythm of the African heart, have given  us joy and supprt for living. Now the tables have turned and it is us that need to give back to them. Once we needed them for these things, now they need us!
Join us on World Wildlife Day, take our hands and stand with us to shout out against the poaching of our rhino and elephants and the destruction of our uniqueness. Do not let thepoachers and traffickers take these things away from us and our unborn children! We cannot stand divided on this. We must join our forces. We cannot do this alone and we need your hands!
We cannot win this with guns and bombs. We need the politicians and world leaders to step in and throw their mighty influence at this problem.
United we can win! The future of wildlife is in our hands!

Black Mambas: Champions of the Earth

Message from Ian Somerhalder, UNEP Goodwill Ambassador on World Wildlife Day 2016, March 3rd.

Seriously friends, World Wildlife Day is coming up on March 3rd and we need to heed the call to action which is that the future of wildlife is in our hands. This is a message of both power and privilege. We know through our work at ISF that when we take on a cause we can use our voices and actions to make a difference. And that is the best form of power. But being the custodians of the awesome and diverse creature landscape that we are so blessed with around the world is pure privilege. Aren't we just better off for knowing  that somewhere out there in our beautiful world elephants, rhinos and all sorts of other weird and wonderful animals are living life as they have for thousands of years! And aren't we worse off for knowing that they are being slaughtered in record numbers due to a lethal combination of greed, ignorance, indifference, corruption and superficial trends? It's time to use our power to stop these selfish pursuits. We are better than this and we can stop it by raising our voices and getting everyone to listen. Join me in celebrating World Wildlife Day by telling the world that we won't let this happen on our watch.

Message from Gisele Bündchen, UNEP Goodwill Ambassador on World Wildlife Day 2016, March 3rd.

I once heard that most people who care deeply about animals, the environment, and the planet had a transformative moment in nature when they were young. That´s how it was for me, and I truly believe such experiences shaped the person I am today in relation to my affinity with nature and spirituality. Nature inspires me, it´s where I recharge my energies. It has this power and also the ability to move us beyond selfish pursuits and to see the bigger picture. Nature is just incredible!
That´s why I believe that when we damage the planet we damage ourselves. We are nature and all life is connected. If you hurt one species you´re hurting them all, including us humans.
It saddens me that in the 21st century there are still many endangered wildlife species. Continued poaching, for example, is still threatening to wipe out populations of rhinos and elephants. I personally saw the sad situation of orphaned baby elephants in Kenya. Their mothers were killed by poachers. Nothing justifies killing an animal to use its parts only as material goods, decoration or even worse, to satisfy someone´s ego or pride.
If we want a better future, we also have to take care of the wildlife. That´s why I would like to invite everyone to take part in this campaign to end Illegal Trade in Wildlife.
Anyone can participate by simply spreading the word wherever you can—through casual conversation with friends and loved ones and, of course, in social media. It is also important not to buy illegal wildlife of any kind. This is ongoing work that requires us to be persistent and vigilant.
I believe we create our own reality through the choices we make, and we are the only ones capable of changing the reality we live in.

Forum : World Wildlife Day - March 3

2016 theme is “The future of wildlife is in our hands”, with African and Asian elephants being the main focus of global campaigns.

The theme “The future of wildlife is in our hands” reinforces the inextricable link between wildlife, people and sustainable development. It is the responsibility of each generation to safeguard wildlife for the following generation. It also imparts the pressing need for national action to ensure the survival in the wild of both charismatic and lesser known species.

The secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), in collaboration with other relevant United Nations organizations, facilitates the implementation of World Wildlife Day. Join the conversation Tweets about "#WorldWildlifeDay"

You can always do one small thing to join the people around the world to celebrate this special Day on the UN calendar. Lend your social media voice, speak for the voiceless and help us amplify the message that the future of wildlife is #InOurHands. Take a photo with our social media shout out card and support the #WWD2016 Thunderclap. 

Events : International Elephants Film Festival on WWD2016.

 

The Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival and the Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES) have teamed up in organizing an International Elephant Film Festival to raise global awareness of the various challenges facing the African and Asian elephants, and to World Wildlife Day 2016.



International Elephants Festival - World Wildlife Day 2016

Archive of Event: Voices for the Wild: From Inspiration to Action

Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Catherine A. Novelli hosts the event, "Voices for the Wild: Inspiration to Action, Celebrating the Contribution of Nature’s Storytellers," on the occasion of World Wildlife Day 2016 at the Department of State on March 2, 2016.

How can you we celebrate the World Wildlife Days?

Types of World Wildlife Day 2016 Events and activities

Media advisory

- UN World Wildlife Day 2016 - CITES

- World Wildlife Day 2016 Event: "Voices for the Wild: From Inspiration to Action on Combating Wildlife Trafficking" U.S. Department of State

- March 3rd Is World Wildlife Day / Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI)

- The European Commission presents Action Plan to fight Wildlife trafficking.

- The global poaching vortex - The Brookings Institution


Wildlife trafficking and its associated activities affect national and international security in a myriad of ways: They can provide support to criminal groups, increase risks of health epidemics, and further degrade the already fragile ecological systems on which humans depend. Efforts to combat Wildlife trafficking, meanwhile, provide new opportunities for cooperation between the United States and China, among other countries. 

International Day for Ear and Hearing 2015 - March 3

 International Day for Ear and Hearing, March 3
Theme 2015 : Make Listening Safe.

WHO highlights serious threat posed by exposure to recreational noise


27 FEBRUARY 2015 ¦ GENEVA– Some 1.1 billion teenagers and young adults are at risk of hearing loss due to the unsafe use of personal audio devices,including smartphones, and exposure to damaging levels of sound at noisy entertainment venues such as nightclubs, bars and sporting events, according to the World Health Organization. Hearing loss has potentially devastating consequences for physical and mental health, education and employment.

Data from studies in middle-and high-income countries analysed by WHO indicate that among teenagers and young adults aged 12-35 years, nearly 50% are exposed to unsafe levels of sound from the use of personal audio devices and a round 40% are exposed to potentially damaging levels of sound at entertainment venues.

Unsafe levels of sounds can be, for example, exposure to in excess of 85 decibels(dB) for eight hours or 100 dB for 15 minutes.“As they go about their daily lives doing what they enjoy, more and more young people are placing themselves at risk of hearing loss,” notes Dr Etienne Krug, WorldHealth Organization (WHO) Director for the Department for Management of Noncommunicable Diseases, Disability, Violence and Injury Prevention. “ They should be aware that once you lose your hearing, it won’t come back.
Taking simple preventive actions will allow people to continue to enjoy themselves without putting their hearing at risk. ”Safe listening depends on the intensity or loudness of sound, and the duration and frequency of listening.

Exposure to loud sounds can result in temporary hearing loss or tinnitus which is a ringing sensation in the ear. When the exposure is particularly loud, regular or prolonged, it can lead to permanent damage of the ear’s sensory cells,resulting in irreversible hearing loss. WHO recommends that the highest permissible level of noise exposure in the workplace is 85 dB up to a maximum of eight hours per day. Many patrons of nightclubs, bars and sporting events are often exposed to even higher levels of sound, and should therefore considerably reduce the duration of exposure. For example, exposure to noise levels of 100 dB, which is typical in such venues, is safe for no more than 15 minutes. Teenagers and young people can better protect their hearing by keeping the volume down on personal audio devices, wearing earplugs when visiting noisy venues, and using carefully fitted, and,if possible, noise-cancelling earphones/headphones. They can also limit the time spent engaged in noisy activities by taking short listening breaks and restricting the daily use of personal audio devices to less than one hour. With the help of smartphone apps, they can monitor safe listening levels. In addition they should heed the warning signs of hearing loss and get regular hearing check-ups.

Governments also have a role to play by developing and enforcing strict legislation on recreational noise, and by raising awareness of the risks of hearing loss through public information campaigns. Parents, teachers and physicians can educate young people about safe listening, while managers of entertainment venues can respect the safe noise levels set by their respective venues, use sound limiters, and offer earplugs and “chill out” rooms to patrons.

Manufacturers can design personal audio devices with safety features and display information about safe listening on products and packaging.

To mark International Ear Care Day,celebrated each year on March 3rd, WHO is launching the “Make Listening Safe” initiative to draw attention to the dangers of unsafe listening and promote safer practices. In collaboration with partners worldwide, WHO will alert young people and their families about the risks of noise-induced hearing loss and advocate towards governments for greater attention to this issue as part of their broader efforts to prevent hearing loss generally. Worldwide, 360 million people today have moderate to profound hearing loss due to various causes, such as noise, genetic conditions,complications at birth, certain infectious diseases, chronic ear infections, the use of particular drugs,and ageing. It is estimated that half of all cases of hearing loss are avoidable.

To address this issue, WHO collates data and information on hearing loss to demonstrate its prevalence, causes and impact as well as opportunities for prevention and management; assists countries to develop and implement programmes for hearing care that are integrated into the primary healthcare system; and provides technical resources for training health workers.


RELATED LINKS:
Sound advice from WHO as 1.1 billion people face deafness threat - United Nations Radio
“Make Listening Safe” web site, with brochure, flyer, posters, infographic
WHO fact sheet on deafness and hearing loss
 The First World Congress on Ear and Hearing Care, 12-14 February 2015.

FORUM : International Day for Ear and Hearing - March 3

For more information please contact:

World Health Organization
Laura Sminkey
Communications Officer WHO Department for Management of Noncommunicable Diseases, Disability, Violence and Injury Prevention
Telephone: +41 22 791 4547
Mobile: +41 79 249 3520
Email: sminkeyl@who.int