On the evening of 20 April 2007, the
Executive Secretary of CMS/ASCOBANS, Robert Hepworth,
launched the Spanish version of the Year of the Dolphin
2007 leaflet. He presented the objectives and activities
of the Year of the Dolphin campaign to the delegates of
the 14th Advisory Committee Meeting of ASCOBANS, alongside
the Secretariat’s Scientific Officer, Marco Barbieri,
and the newly appointed ASCOBANS Marine Mammal Officer
Heidrun Frisch. The beautiful launch venue, the Aquarium
of Donostia-San Sebastián in the Basque Country
of Spain, tangibly underlined the need to protect the
marine environment and educate both children and adults
about the fascinating marine life and the role they themselves
can play in its conservation. Each delegate received a
personal copy of the outreach material produced so far
and governments and NGOs alike were encouraged to actively
support the campaign.
Robert Hepworth and Marco Barbieri of CMS/ASCOBANS
present the Year of the Dolphin Leaflet in San Sebastián
Aquarium
Several requests to become a registered YoD-Supporter
have already been received from Spain and Portugal. These
individuals and organisations carry out classroom activities,
plan art contests, organise exhibitions, produce information
material or engage the public in conservation activities,
to name but a few examples.
At the 21st Annual Conference of the European Cetacean
Society and through the San Sebastián Aquarium
more than two thousand Year of the Dolphin leaflets, calendars
and posters and hundreds of postcards were distributed
to the public and marine scientists alike, informing them
about the campaign and ways to share in. Also, two large
exhibition panels at the venue caught everybody’s
attention and served as background for countless photos
taken by the delegates and the local press.
Meeting venue of the 21st Annual Conference of the ECS
To keep up to date with the activities carried out around
the globe as part of the campaign, please visit the website
www.YoD2007.org.
It also offers information about many dolphin species,
explains ways to join in the campaign and provides information
material for download.
For more information please contact:
Heidrun Frisch
ASCOBANS and CMS Secretariat
hfrisch@cms.int
Tel: +49 228 815 2429
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