Communications of the Centre during the 2005 followed on from activities already consolidated in 2004, as well as broadened our outreach to a wider audience, both locally and regionally.

Mediterranean news were circulated through the electronic bulletin Medflashnews (in English, French and Spanish) for information and to better communicate the IUCN Mediterranean programme. The bulletin distribution list is currently composed of all Mediterranean members, partners and IUCN commission members. IUCN-Med webpage has also included a free subscription mechanism for those interested in receiving our news. Some 200 new subscriptions from universities, researchers and various organisations from the Mediterranean region and beyond were received throughout the year, the total list amounting to more than 500 addresses.

Additional communication activities included the presence of IUCN-Med Secretariat staff and products in relevant local, national and international fora: Agenda 21 and the new culture of water (Malaga, Spain), Water and Drought Forum (Zaragoza, Spain), Silva Mediterranea (Rabat, Morocco), or Mediterre (Bari, Italy) among other. Staff members also provided training for students and wider audiences through active participation in several courses i.e. University of Jaén on CBD; University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria on IUCN programmes and environmental journalism; IV Meeting of the AD HOC Open Ended Working Group on Access and Benefit Sharing in Granada on traditional knowledge and poverty alleviation in North Africa amongst other. IUCN-Med also collaborated in the Tales of Water initiative by coordinating and organising the participation of several local schools and NGOS to compile the children’s views on water.

In answer to requests by IUCN members, our staff communicated the Mediterranean programme to various Mediterranean countries to introduce our work to members, encourage their engagement and recognise the value that IUCN can add to their conservation policies and programmes. Red listing and marine protected areas activities in Egypt, Tunisia, and Turkey are now receiving the support of the Centre.

The re-designed web site sought member collaboration by promoting their activities and events. Relationships with the media were reinforced by coordination with the press departments of the Junta de Andalucia and the Spanish Ministry of Environment. IUCN-Med contributes regularly to their magazines by providing articles on relevant programmatic areas. Issues covered this year included biodiversity conservation, financing protected areas, aquaculture and sustainable fisheries, sustainable use of natural resources, communication and conservation good practice. IUCN-Med also contributed to other national environmental and specialised magazines and provided answers to general requests by the media, specialised publications and members. More than a dozen press releases were issued to the media and through the webpage on activities and new publications under way.

The web site registered nearly 359,227 visits, an increase of 191% compared with 2004. A total of 206,317 documents were downloaded. The web site is therefore fulfilling its function of making known the results of the work of IUCN-Med to increasing numbers of people in the region and around the world.