Welcome to the International Conference on Humid Tropical Ecosystems: changes, challenges, opportunities
We take great pleasure in inviting you to be a partner in this exciting opportunity to plan for the future of the humid tropics.
The International Conference will review the current status of the humid tropics and identify changes, challenges and cutting edge opportunities in terms of research, conservation and capacity building to ensure the future survival of the rich humid tropical ecosystems.
The conference is organized by Sri Lanka’s National MAB Committee and the National Science Foundation, in collaboration with the International MAB Secretariat, Division of Ecological and Earth Sciences, UNESCO.
This conference will be held in the scenic and historic city of Kandy, Sri Lanka from the 4 to 9 th December. The language of the conference will be English.
The conference commemorates the launch of the UNESCO Humid Tropics Programme 50 years ago in Kandy. At the eighth session of the UNESCO General Conference of UNESCO held in Montevideo, a proposal put forward by Sri Lanka to develop a programme to assist research in the humid tropics was considered favourably. A resolution to host an international symposium, followed by a preparatory meeting of specialists, was adopted and, in March 1956, the two events were convened in Kandy, Sri Lanka. This landmark event was the beginning of the UNESCO Humid Tropics Programme which led to many more exciting expert consultations in Indonesia, Cote d’Ivoire, Papua New Guinea, India, Malaysia and Bangladesh. Results and outcome of these meetings and workshops contributed significantly to the design and development of MAB Projects on ecosystem studies and human impacts on forests in the humid and sub-humid tropics that have, and continue to generate, research, capacity building, conservation and development, bringing many benefits to UNESCO Member States.
Fifty years after the 1956 conference and experts meeting, Sri Lanka, together with UNESCO, is privileged to host another international conference to review the current status of knowledge that will lead to development of a Plan of Action for research and development co-operation in the humid tropics under the aegis of UNESCO for the period 2008-2013.
You can be a partner in this by participating at this conference.
The main themes of the conference reflect three broad interests that have a major bearing on the humid tropics: (1) minimizing biodiversity loss; (2) adapting to climate change, and (3) promoting sustainable development. Under these main themes there will be many
areas of interest for this conference. It will explore the current status and changes among ecosystems in the humid tropics and the challenges and opportunities within the main conference themes to address the problems this region is now facing.
The conference organizers will be inviting key note speakers of international repute, and are seeking interested parties to organize roundtables, special events and pre-conference workshops, on a number of issues and problems centered around the above mentioned principal themes of interest for the future survival of humid tropical ecosystem and their natural resources.
In addition to attending the conference, participants are encouraged to use the opportunity to explore and experience Sri Lanka’s superb wildlife, fascinating cultural sites and the many other tourist attractions that the country holds. Kandy the conference location, which nestles in the hills of Sri Lanka, is centrally located in the island so that accessing the many fascinating cultural and natural sites in the country, from the coasts to the hills, can be done within a matter of a few hours. Kandy itself is a scenic and culturally unique city with a fascinating history. It is also very closely situated to the world renowned Royal Botanic Gardens at Peradeniya, and offers a wide range of tourist attractions and great shopping opportunities!
Sri Lanka is proud to co-host this conference. It will be our pleasure to welcome you, and we hope that you find it a rewarding and enriching experience. We look forward to seeing you in Sri Lanka in December 2006!
