Bonn, 23 October 2012 - Laikipia Nature Conservancy director Kuki Gallmann received the “International Masi Grosso D’Oro Veneziano 2012” award, a prestigious international prize for her conservation and peace- building efforts in Kenya.

The award is given annually to an international personality whose work has contributed towards civil progress, promotion of friendship and fraternity, and the establishment of peace amongst the peoples of the world. Ms. Gallmann received the award for her "Courage and commitment to the preservation of the environment, wildlife and general ecosystem of Africa, in pursuit of the harmonious coexistence between people, animals and nature". The award ceremony took place at the Teatro Filarmonico in Verona, Italy at the end of September 2012.

Ms. Gallmann, a writer and conservationist, is well known for her novels such as ”I Dreamed of Africa” (1991) and “African Nights” (1994) and is the founder of the Gallmann Memorial Foundation and Africa Conservancywhich engage in cultural, educational and environmental research and in protecting and promoting sustainable development in Africa. Her ongoing fight against poachers has caught the attention of the world, as have her books and later the film "I dreamed of Africa" which was released in 2000.

In 2006, Kuki Gallmann hosted the launching event for the first World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD), WINGS at her estate Ol Ari Nyiro in the Great Rift Valley area of Kenya, where she was designated as the first Ambassador for the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS).

Since 2006, World Migratory Bird Day has been celebrated annually and has grown to become a truly global event, inspiring a growing number of participants of all ages. Jointly organized by the Secretariats of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) and the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA), the aim or World Migratory Bird Day is to promote the conservation of migratory birds across borders and throughout their migratory range.

The UNEP/CMS and the UNEP/AEWA Secretariats congratulate Ms. Gallmann on this award. With her help, we hope to continue to raise awareness on the need to conserve and protect the world’s terrestrial, aquatic and avian migratory species.