Campaigns

The UNEP Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), the UNEP/UNESCO Great Ape Survival Project (GRASP) and the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) joined forces to declare 2009 the Year of the Gorilla (YoG). This global campaign raised awareness and educated the public about gorillas and their threatened status, while at the same time raising funds for tangible on-the-ground conservation work. 

The UN Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), its specialized agreements on whales, dolphins and porpoises (cetaceans), the Agree­ment on the Conservation of Cetaceans of the Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea and Contiguous Atlantic Area (ACCOBAMS) and the Agreement on the Conservation of Small Ceta­ceans of the Baltic and North Seas (ASCOBANS) together with the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS) de­clared 2007 the Year of the Dolphin.

The Year of the Bat was a two year long global species awareness initiative undertaken by The Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) and The Agreement on the Conservation of Populations of European Bats (EUROBATS).

“Sing, Fly, Soar – Like a Bird!” was the theme for WMBD 2021, focusing on the phenomena of “bird song” and “bird flight”. This was used as a way to inspire and connect people around the world in their shared desire to celebrate migratory birds and to unite around a common, global effort to protect birds and their habitats. During the pandemic, bird song has been a source of comfort and joy for many people around the world, connecting them to each other as well as to nature.

“Birds Connect Our World” was the theme for WMBD 2020. Connectivity is essential for migratory species, and important for a wide variety of ecological functions. It describes the natural and necessary movement of species and the flow of natural processes that sustain life on Earth. With 1 million species facing the risk of extinction within our generation, connectivity has become a central topic for biodiversity and sustainability. Migratory species move across the globe, running, swimming, flying, connecting countries, people and continents through their migration routes.

The theme of WMBD 2019 is “Protect Birds: Be the Solution to Plastic Pollution!” − and puts the spotlight on the negative impact of plastic pollution on migratory birds and their habitats.

With an annual production of more than 300m tons, plastic is one of the most widely used materials in the world. Lightweight and designed to last, the discarded pieces are easily transported into ecosystems through the forces of nature causing serious threats to migratory species around the world.

World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) in May 2018 marked the first event that unifies two of the world’s largest bird education and awareness-raising campaigns: International Migratory Bird Day (IMBD) and WMBD. The combined efforts by Environment for the Americas (EFTA) as well as CMS and by AEWA reached a record high. In May, the Campaign attracted peak attention with more than 600 events registered in 58 countries throughout the world. This year, videos of songs of the wonders of migratory birds triggered an overwhelming number of responses from the younger generation across the globe.

With the 2017 theme "Their Future is our Future - A healthy planet for migratory birds and people", World Migratory Bird Day has thrown light on the topic of "Sustainable Development for Wildlife and People". The 2017 theme is linked to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and highlights the interdependence of people and nature, and more specifically people and migratory birds, as they share the same planet and the same limited resources. Human activity can have a negative impact on birds’ migration, while humankind relies on birds in many ways.

With the theme “Stop the illegal killing, taking and trade of Migratory Birds!”, WMBD 2016 highlighted the existensial threat of the illegal killing, taking and trade of migratory birds and the need for a concerted action between governments, International organizations, NGOs and the civil society in order to end this phenomenon that each year kills millions of birds.

In the eleventh edition of WMBD, 319 events were registered from 85 countries around the world.

“Energy – make it bird-friendly!” was the 2015's theme, which aimed to highlight the importance of deploying energy technologies in a way that prevents, minimizes and mitigates adverse impacts on migratory birds and their habitats around the world. Every year, millions of migratory birds face dangers posed by the massive expansion of various means of generating and distributing energy. Developing new and expanding existing renewable energy technologies are essential when striving towards the common goal of a low carbon future.