Search for ASEAN Champions of Biodiversity

MANILA, Philippines - Nominations are now open for the 2010 ASEAN Champions of Biodiversity, an awards program that will recognize outstanding achievements in biodiversity conservation and advocacy in Southeast Asia sponsored by the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) and the ASEAN Foundation.

Nominations are open for three categories: Most Outstanding Biodiversity Conservation and/or Advocacy Project by a private business/corporation; Most Outstanding Biodiversity Conservation and/or Advocacy Project by a youth organization; and Most Outstanding Biodiversity Reportage by a media organization.

“Nominees should be based in any of the 10 ASEAN member states and should have an outstanding biodiversity conservation or advocacy project that is duly recognized by the community where they operate. Nominees in the media category should have a section, segment, or program devoted to biodiversity conservation advocacy, and should have comprehensive reports on biodiversity conservation,” Filemon Uriarte, Jr., executive director of the ASEAN Foundation, explained.

He added that a nomination will only be considered valid if it is submitted by a person who falls within one of the following categories: government officials and employees (national or local government); representatives of institutions specializing in environmental protection and biodiversity conservation; academic institutions; industry associations. The nomination form may be downloaded from www.aseanbiodiversity.org. Nominations must be sent to [email protected] not later than July 16.

Co-funded by the European Union and the ASEAN Foundation through the Japan-ASEAN Solidarity Fund, the ASEAN Champions of Biodiversity will identify leaders among the private/corporate sector, media, and youth from which a cadre of champions will be selected to serve as Ambassadors of Goodwill for biodiversity. Awardees shall receive token cash prizes and will be recognized in October 2010 in time for the Tenth Conference of the Parties of the Convention on Biological Diversity. The awarding ceremonies will be held in the Philippines.