World Wetlands Day 2010

2nd February each year is World Wetlands Day (WWD). It marks the date of the signing of the Convention on Wetlands on 2 February 1971, in the Iranian city of Ramsar. WWD was celebrated for the first time in 1997 and made an encouraging beginning.

Each year, government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and groups of citizens at all levels of the community have taken advantage of the opportunity to undertake actions aimed at raising public awareness of wetland values and benefits in general and the Ramsar Convention in particular.

The Ramsar Secretariat is distributing materials (in English, French, and Spanish) that should be helpful in the WWD activities. The basic mailing includes:

- Posters and stickers on the theme in both hard copy and in printable format on a CD and for download here.

- A full-colour leaflet for event organisers to get us all on the same page on the theme and perhaps to help organisers prepare their own materials for their target groups. It will cover where we are in terms of wetland biodiversity loss, why such losses matter to ecosystem health and ecosystem services from wetlands, what’s causing the unprecedented losses, specifics on climate change impacts on wetlands, as well as a look at adaptation and mitigation strategies.

- Two hands-on activities for children of all ages: a do-it-yourself bird and a Kaleidocycle (with an instruction sheet), for which you'll need glue, string, enthusiasm, and nimble fingers.

The WWD materials may be downloaded on the website below.