THE Sultanate and nine other Asean countries may now submit their nominations for 2010 Asean Champion of Biodiversity, an awards programme initiated by the Asean Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) and the Asean Foundation, that will recognised outstanding achievements in biodiversity conservation and advocacy in Southeast Asia.

There are three categories to be won: Most Outstanding Biodiversity Conservation and/or Advocacy Project by a Private Business/Corporation; Most Outstanding Biodiversity Conservation and/or Advocacy Project by a Youth Organisation; and Most Outstanding Biodiversity Reportage by a Media Organisation.

Submission can only be considered if the nomination are placed by a person who falls within one of the following categories: government officials and employees (eg national government, local government units); representatives of institutions specialising in environmental protection and biodiversity conservation (eg international organisations, non-governmental organisations, people’s organisations, foundations); academic institutions (eg universities, colleges); industry associations (eg league of corporate foundations).

“Nominees should be based in any of the 10 Asean Member States (Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam), and should have an outstanding biodiversity conservation or advocacy project that is duly recognised by the community where they operate.
Nominees in the Media category should have a section, segment, or programme devoted to biodiversity conservation advocacy, and should have comprehensive reports on biodiversity conservation,” D Filemon Uriarte Jr, executive director of the Asean Foundation, explained in a release
from the Asean Centre for Biodiversity.

Nominations must be sent to champions@aseanbiodiversity.org not later than July 16, 2010.

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. The project is supported by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). The Asean Centre for Biodiversity serves as the awards secretariat.

The programme shall employ a two-tier approach in selecting the winners: The first phase shall involve a short-listing of nominees from the 10 Asean Member States. The organisers and partners shall form a panel of eminent personalities who will short-list the nominees based on their projects’ impact on biodiversity conservation; contribution to the goals and objectives of the Asean and the Asean Foundation; and its potential to inspire other individuals or organisations to follow their example. The second phase will be the final selection where one nominee from each of the three categories will be declared as the champion.

“The winners will be recognised as Ambassadors of Goodwill for biodiversity conservation and advocacy. They will be given year-round opportunities to speak before business, youth, and media leaders, and during forums, workshops and conferences in Asean Member States sponsored by ACB and the Mean Foundation. A publication of best practices will also be produced based on the stories of the finalists and winners,” ACB Executive Director Rodrigo U Fuentes said.

Awardees shall receive token cash prizes, and will be recognised 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.

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