Communication, Education and Public Awareness Programme
Under the Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar Convention) a Programme of Communication, Education and Public Awareness (CEPA) 2003-2008 was established to help raise awareness of wetland values and functions. The CEPA Programme calls for coordinated international and national wetland education, public awareness and communication.
Australia was the first Contracting Party to complete a Wetland CEPA National Action Plan. Australia's CEPA National Action Plan provides an umbrella for coordinated activities across Australia.
The Australian Wetlands Information Network (AWIN), was established to assist in the direction and implementation of the activities outlined in the CEPA National Action Plan. AWIN comprises representatives from organisations and other parties with an interest and experience in wetlands CEPA activities.
CEPA activities
World Wetlands Day
World Wetlands Day (WWD) is celebrated each year on 2 February. It marks the anniversary of the signing of the Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar Convention) in Ramsar, Iran, on 2 February 1971.
WWD was first celebrated in 1997. Since this time government agencies, non-government organisations and community groups across the world have celebrated World Wetlands Day by undertaking actions to raise public awareness of wetland values and benefits and promote the conservation and wise use of wetlands. These activities include seminars, nature walks, festivals, launches of new policies, announcement of new Ramsar sites, newspaper articles, radio interviews and wetland rehabilitation activities.
Wetland Link International—Australia
Wetland Link International (WLI), an initiative of the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust in the UK, is a major platform of the Ramsar Convention's Programme on CEPA. WLI aims to improve links between wetland educators at all levels.
There are many centres across Australia dedicated to wetland education or with a strong focus on wetlands. They are associated with many types of wetlands, including, in some cases, Ramsar sites. They range from small, non-staffed interpretation facilities to staffed, highly developed centres. The WLI Australia initiative was proposed by AWIN as one way of providing a communication framework for Australian wetland education centres to interact with participants in the WLI initiative.
WLI Australia operates under the AWIN, and is coordinated by the Hunter Wetlands Centre, which is a wetland education centre based in Newcastle, NSW.
Feathers, Flyways and Friends project
One element of the CEPA National Action Plan focuses on shorebird CEPA activities. This is being implemented by Hunter Wetlands Centre under the Feathers, Flyways and Friends project. The main product of the project is a web site containing information and resources on shorebird conservation in the East Asian—Australasian Flyway and other flyways.
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