CENTRE FOR MEDITERRANEAN COOPERATION IUCN

"The Congress has been very important in advancing the path initiated some time ago and strongly consolidated after Durban. It is a conservation project developed over time capable of becoming global by being legitimised through its implementation in both the institutional and civil society arena. Particularly important is the way and the strength with which the Mediterranean reality has taken over. This has been achieved in collaboration with the Malaga office, which has still to be made stronger. The “Mediterranean Mountain” project and alliance will be a good occasion to work in this direction".
Fabio Renzi. Legambiente

	World Conservation Congress Bangkok 17-25 November 2004
	Comments from Mediterranean Members
		"The Congress was good with a very busy and diverse programme. Members expressed their views in an active democratic process. The Congress gave the new Councillors much work to do. It is going to be challenging on what to report on after four years". Ali Darwish. New IUCN Regional Councillor West Asia. From Al-khat Akhdar (Green Line Association), Lebanon.

		"Mi impresión acerca del congreso al que solo he asistido a la parte "oficial" es contradictoria. Por un lado, como acto político, creo que se trata de un foro muy interesante en el que cualquier idea es válida y puede ser expresada en plena libertad. Por otro lado, como cuestiones negativas, creo que está masificado, trata muchos puntos de interés meramente local, existen demasiadas recomendaciones y resoluciones que hacen que las más importantes queden disimuladas. Además, aunque no se trata de un problema de este Congreso el sistema de voto no me parece el adecuado. Mientras, por ejemplo, en el Convenio de Biodiversidad (CBD) se aprueban sus propuestas por consenso, aquí basta la mayoría, siendo muchos participantes ajenos al problema. En cuanto a los aspectos organizativos me parece que ha estado bastante bien en prácticamente todos los aspectos. Miguel Aymerich. Subdirector General de la Dirección de Conservación de la Naturaleza del Ministerio de Medio Ambiente de España.

		"Le Congrès reste toujours un lieu de rencontre, de débat de remise à niveau mais surtout une plateforme permettant à tous et a toutes de s'imposer pour un environnement meilleur" Raiba Sengui . Mouvement Ecologique (Algerie)

		"It is a great pleasure for us to be in Bangkok and interact with people from different countries, with different races, colors, cultures and ideas. The magical Bangkok memories will remain" Aybars Altiparmak. Ministry of Environment and Forestry of Turkey.

	.	"I found that many training workshops were very interesting but they were very short to some particular subject. I would like to see more training workshops outside the Congress. It is almost impossible to follow all activities, all the information in details, you feel guilty. I would like to see next time more coordination between the Mediterranean members who are in the Congress. The region has to organize itself in a way that allows members to brief each other during the Congress". Bassima Khatib. Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon

	.	"The Congress has been very important in advancing the path initiated some time ago and strongly consolidated after Durban. It is a conservation project developed over time capable of becoming global by being legitimised through its implementation in both the institutional and civil society arena. Particularly important is the way and the strength with which the Mediterranean reality has taken over. This has been achieved in collaboration with the Malaga office, which has still to be made stronger. The “Mediterranean Mountain” project and alliance will be a good occasion to work in this direction". Fabio Renzi. Legambiente

		"Ha sido un congreso muy bien organizado que ha batido records de participación y donde se han tratado la mayor parte de los problemas de conservación que hay en el mundo. Es especialmente interesante destacar la presencia mediterránea y la aprobación de varias resoluciones que van a permitir aumentar y mejorar la actividad de la UICN en nuestra región, tanto en el medio marino como terrestre, y en relación con la cooperación de los miembros". Purificació Canals. Re-elected Regional Councillor (West Europe). From Depana, ONG based in Catalunya..