^return to WWC Almost Live!

Day 1 - OPENING CEREMONIES, POLITICS AND ECONOMICS
Highlights of the day by Crewenna Dymond and Stella Norcup

The World Wilderness Congress has completed a circle by returning to South Africa where...

THE GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT FACILITY'S COMMITMENT TO WILDERNESS AREAS, a Message from Mohamed T. El-Ashry...

You may not know that the GEF owes its origins in part to the World Wilderness Congress. It grew...

WILD Enough! Singer Claire Johnston with Ray Phiri and David Rothenberg (right) provided an evening of upbeat music.

View the days schedule

DAY 1 - OPENING CEREMONIES, POLITICS AND ECONOMICS

Dr Mohamed Bakarr (Conservation International) and Gwen Mhlangu(r, Chairman of Environmental Portfolio Committee, SA Parliament)

The World Wilderness Congress has completed a circle by returning to South Africa where the first Congress was held in Johannesburg in 1977. It is also significant that Port Elizabeth is hosting this meeting as next years Earth Summit will be held in Johannesburg and following that the World Parks Congress in 2003 will be hosted by Durban. The focus of this Congress is to look to the future and the important link between wilderness and human community and spirit has been highlighted. As we are gathering in South Africa it has become an important goal to work
towards preserving nature at the same time as promoting development and improving quality of life for people living around wilderness areas. To demonstrate this connection between wilderness and humanity the opening ceremonies including a powerful blessing by Dr Credo Mutwa and an inspirational dance by four groups of Xhosa who came together to introduce us to the culture of the Eastern Cape region.

Dr Walter Lusigi (Global Env. Facility, World Bank)

The first main focus of today's programme was to examine how wilderness designation is an inherently political process. To start the debate the South African Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, the Honorable Valli Moosa, summarised the relative ease that this can be achieved in South Africa where public support for environmental issues is high. South Africa is one of the only countries to enshrine environmental rights as a fundamental human right within its constitution. In addition we were fortunate to be introduced to the situation in Namibia by the Honourable Philemon Malima, Minister of Environment and Tourism for Namibia. 

One of the most exciting developments in Southern Africa is the creation of trans-boundary 'Peace Parks' which connect protected areas between countries and facilitate natural migration patterns for wildlife. For example Kruger National Park in South Africa, will become connected to parks in Mozambique and Zimbabwe and will be managed by a single organization. This indicates the strength of feeling about conservation in this region and has also demonstrated the ability amongst these countries for peaceful collaboration. 

In developing countries, in particular, it is considered important that parks to protect wildlife and promote wilderness must be financially self-sustaining. In Africa eco-tourism and private sector contributions have been identified as a method of achieving this. Already the South African government makes no financial contribution to Kruger National Park which sustains itself completely through eco-tourism. With a capacity for 5,000 guests in its accommodation facilities it is able to sustain 3,000 members of staff and fund its conservation work.

During our afternoon session we were introduced to ways in which politics and economics can come together for the protection of wilderness and wildlife. As an example Dr Walter Lusigi, on behalf of Dr Mohammed El Ashry CEO of the Global Environmental Facility, part of the World Bank, announced that it will donate US$1 million for the expansion of the Baviaanskloof wilderness area. This was greeted by us with particular enthusiasm because we have just spent six days on a wilderness trail in this area and it has become an important place for us all. Additionally, the GEF has donated US$1 million to Angola to aid in the relocation of animals to repopulate parks which will help to facilitate the Peace Park process.

Dr Ian Player, founder WWC and The WILD Foundation.

The need for at the very least a continent wide approach to the development of protected areas was discussed by Dr Mohamed Bakarr of Conservation International who has proposed a new African Protected Areas Initiative in conjunction with the IUCN and the World Commission on Protected Areas. This is a four year plan to develop a new vision for the management of protected areas to better represent the diversity in habitats in Africa extending from tropical forests to grassland, from marine environments to the fynbos of the Eastern Cape.

Cyril Ramaphosa, chairman of Johnnic Holdings, a multi-media communications company and an avid wilderness advocate, discussed the role of the private sector in sustaining Africa wildlands. Following this, one of the most powerful parts of today was the announcement of a new private sector project to fund conservation projects in South Africa. Called My Acre of Africa, and supported by Johnnic Holdings, it aims to raise US$200 million for a wide range of projects including conservation education. The project will create a new scaled replica of Kruger National Park as its showpiece. For each of the 4,692,914 acres of the park a paving brick will be up for sale to individuals, schools, and corporations alike and each sold will be inscribed with the owners name and built into the footpaths which criss-cross the site. The project has solicited the support of many dignitaries including Nelson Mandela who has lent his support by becoming Patron-in Chief of the venture. Mr Ramaposa used a quote from Dr Anton Rupert that encapsulates this issue that "conservation without money is conversation".

For us this first day has highlighted many important issues, many of them specific to Africa, but all with worldwide applicability. We have been struck be the personal insights all speakers have shared with us and this has created a very positive atmosphere to lead into the rest of the Congress.

Useful links:

African Protected Areas Initiative
http://www.wcpa.iucn.com

My Acre of Africa
http://www.myacreofafrica.com

by Crewenna Dymond and Stella Norcup

FRIDAY, 2 NOVEMBER

07:30 Registration opens - Feather Market Hall, town centre

09:00 - 10:30 Opening Ceremonies 
Mr Murphy Morobe, presiding (Chairman, 7th World Wilderness Congress; Chairman, SA National Parks Board)
Credo Mutwa (Zulu, Sanusi) - Blessing 

Welcome by Dignitaries

Eastern Cape Cultural Show Case - Introduced by MEC, Mrs Nosimo Balindlela - (Eastern Cape, Department of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture) 

Keynote -- Dr Ian Player (Founder, World Wilderness Congress) 
Wilderness - The Spirit of the 21st Century

10:30 - 11:00 Refreshments

11:00 - 12:30 Wilderness Designation - A Political Process 
Chair - Mr Mavuso Msimang, (Chief Executive, SA National Parks Board)

The Hon. Valli Moosa - (Minister of Environment, SA)
Wilderness in South Africa - Serving all Communities.
The Hon. Philemon Malima - (Minister of Environment and Tourism, Namibia) Wilderness in Namibian National Parks 
The Hon. Ms Fatima Jardim - (Minister of Fisheries and Environment, Angola) Wilderness and National Parks -Transformation in Angola
The Hon. Jorge Valentim - (Minister of Tourism, Angola)

12:30 - 2:00 Lunch

2:00 - 3:30 Wilderness, Politics, Economics - A Global Issue
Chair - Mr Enoch Godongwana, (MEC - Eastern Cape)

The Hon. Clay Shaw - (U.S. Congress, House of Representatives)
U.S. Political Perspective - Africa
Ms Elizabeth Estill - (Deputy Chief, US Forest Service)
Wilderness and Human Communities - US Federal Agencies 
Dr Mohamed El Ashry (Executive Director, Global Environmental Facility, The World Bank) GEF's Commitment to Wildlands and Human Communities (delivered by Dr. Walter Lusigi)
Dr Mohamed Bakarr - (Conservation International) 
The African Protected Areas Initiative and the World Parks Congress 2003 

3:30 - 4:15 Refreshments

4:15 - 5:30 Engaging the Private Sector 
Chair - Ms Gwen Mahlangu (Member of Parliament; Chairperson, Environmental Portfolio Committee; SA)

Mr Cyril Ramaphosa (Chairman, Johnnic Holdings Ltd) 
The Private Sector Role in Sustaining African Wildlands. 
Mr Gareth Pyne-James (Founder and CEO, My Acre of Africa) 
My Acre of Africa - New Funding Strategy for African Protected Areas.

5:30 Adjournment
Mr Murphy Morobe (Chairman, 7th WWC) 

Dinner on your own.

8:00 - 9:30 WILD Enough! An evening of upbeat music by Claire Johnston, Ray Phiri and David Rothenberg -- At the Amphitheater, Boardwalk Conference Centre