MedWet and other partners active in the Mediterranean region are organizing a number of side events during the eight days of the 11th Conference of Contracting parties to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar COP11). Their aim is not only to promote the successful activities and projects undertaken to conserve Mediterranean wetlands but also to use these regional efforts as models for global action.

On Sunday 8th July during lunch time (13:15-14:45) in Room number 3, MedWet will hold its side event “The MedWet Initiative: twenty years of regional cooperation”. It will be divided into three parts; the first part will be a presentation of the International Symposium on Water and Wetlands in the Mediterranean (Agadir, February 2012) and its impacts. The second will be a presentation by the Mediterranean Wetlands Observatory (MWO) of the results of the first technical report on the status and trends of Mediterranean wetlands and finally, the third part will present the Role Playing Game (RPG) developed by the MedWet secretariat on a scenario of wetland management as well as other material and activities developed to promote environmental education on wetlands. Lunch will be offered, as well as French and English translation. This interesting event is expected to welcome a wide participation from the Mediterranean and globally.

On Monday 9th during lunch time (13:15-14:45) in Room number 2, the MedWet administrative authorities of Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia with the help of WWF -MedPo, MedWet and the Tour du Valat will present their side event “Wetlands as a bridge between the countries of the Maghreb’. Each country representative will present the importance of Ramsar designations, wise use and international cooperation using a case study from their country. These will be the Lake Reghaia for Algeria, Ghar el Melh lagoon for Tunisia and Sidi Boughaba lagoon for Morocco. It will be an interesting event that will demonstrate through practical examples the importance of national, regional and international cooperation and will also present the innovative concept of the “Ramsar Community” label.

On Tuesday 10th July during the evening  (18:15-19:45) the GlobWetlandII project will hold their side event with the help of Wetlands International, Tour du Valat, MWO and MedWet. This side event will present the work done by the GlobWetlandII team in cooperation with the MedWet countries involved in the project; it will present the operational software and its capabilities and will focus on the usefulness of this project and its output for the Mediterranean but also globally, as part of Global Wetland Observation System (G-WOS). The side event facilitator will be the MedWet Coordinator, Nejib Benessaiah.

We hope that those of you who will be present in the COP11 will honour us with their presence during these interesting side events.