IYOR Celebrations
Date: Thursday, January 24, 2008, 11:00 a.m.- 12:00 noon EST
Location: Georgetown University Marriott Conference Center, Salon F
3800 Reservoir Road, Washington, D.C.
Coral reef experts and managers from the United States, Mexico, France, and Bonaire will officially inaugurate the International Year of the Reef 2008 with a news conference as part of the International Coral Reef Initiative Meeting in Washington D.C. A live telephone and web connection to a NOAA-funded coral reef exploration of Bonaire, Netherland Antilles will present new findings following release of report on 2005 Caribbean coral bleaching event.
- Welcome remarks: Bill Eichbaum, Managing Director and Vice President, Marine Portfolio, World Wildlife Fund
- Christian Estrosi, France, Minister of State for Overseas, France
- Claudia McMurray, US Department of State, Assistant Secretary for Oceans, Environment and Science
- Robert Cudney, Director of the Cozumel Reefs National Park, Mexico
- VADM Conrad Lautenbacher, U.S., NOAA Administrator, Undersecretary of Commerce
- Christian Estrosi, France, Minister of State for Overseas, France
- Clive Wilkinson, Coordinator, Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network
- Mark Patterson, Chief Scientist, Mission to Bonaire, Virginia Institute of Marine Science
- Elsmarie Beukenboom, Director, STINAPA Bonaire
- Open for Questions and Answers
Reporters are encouraged to attend in person, but a teleconference phone bridge will be provided. Reporters will be able to ask questions via teleconference. Call Ben Sherman, 301- 713-3066 ext. 191 or David Hall, ext. 178 at NOAA, or Kerry Green Zobor at the World Wildlife Fund, 202-778-9509 for additional information or telephone call-in number and conference password. Reporters are also invited to a reception from 6:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. Thursday evening at the World Bank. If interested please confirm attendance with ICRI Public Affairs coordinator Francis Staub at 240-395-0251.
International Year of the Reef 2008 seeks to draw attention to coral reefs as sentinels of the ocean environment. Press conference will detail planned international activities, the first of which is a report on the 2005 coral bleaching event in the Caribbean that affected more than 80 percent of the reefs in the region. An ongoing scientific mission using autonomous underwater vehicles and other technologies to examine the reefs off Bonaire will be presented live through web and phone hook-up as part of press event. NOAA, and U.S. Department of State, officials will detail U.S. activities and efforts.
Useful information:
- Associated Press - Resarchers Looking at Coral Threats (PDF File)
- IUCN Press release - Corals: facing the death sentence (PDF File)
- NOAA Media Advisory (PDF File, 36 KB)
- WWF, CI and TNC Press release: Environmental groups call for increased protection of coral reefs as world marks 2008 International Year Of the Reef
- CRTR Program and Related Global Environment Facility / World Bank-supported Projects Fact Sheet (PDF File, 32 KB)
- Status of Caribbean Coral Reefs after Bleaching and Hurricanes in 2005, edited by Clive Wilkinson and David Souter (PDF File, 10 MB)
Contacts:
Ben Sherman, NOAA Public Affairs
ph.: 301-713-3066 ext 178
Kerry Zobor, Vice-President and Managing Director, Consumer Media
World Wildlife Fund
ph.: 202-778-9509
Francis Staub, IYOR Coordinator
ph.: 202-247-8670
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International Year of the Reef (IYOR) Reception
hosted by The World Bank on behalf of the Mexico-United States Secretariat
of the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI)
Date: Thursday, January 24, 2008
Time: 06:00 pm - 08:00 pm
Location: The World Bank, 1818 H Street, NW
Contact: Francis Staub
Ph. 202-247-8670
fstaub@iyor.org
6:00 PM - Participants arrive, food and Drinks served
6:30 PM - Remarks (~30 minutes)
Moderator: Dr. Marea Hatziolos, Senior Coastal and Marine Specialist, Environment Department, The World Bank
Opening: Ms. Kristalina Georgieva, Director, Strategy and Operations, Sustainable Development Network, The World Bank
Remarks from the ICRI Secretariat, Claudia McMurray, US Department of State, Assistant Secretary for Oceans, Environment and Science
Community-level conservation leader's perspective with the objective to remind us and inspire us regarding what it takes for conservation efforts to succeed at the local level
Speaker: Noah Idechong, Vice Speaker of the Palau House of Delegates
Business leader's perspective with the objective to inspiring example of harnessing the power of consumers and the business community; inspiring conservation through consumer choices
Speaker: Dr. Drew Richardson, President and Chief Operating Officer, PADI
Release of Caribbean 2005 status report
Speakers:
- Gustavo Fonseca, Team Leader, Natural Resources, Global Environment Facility (GEF)
- Dr. Clive Wilkinson, Coordinator, Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network
Closing: VADM Conrad Lautenbacher, U.S., NOAA Administrator, Undersecretary of Commerce
Reception continues
Financial support to film both of the events have been provided by the Living Oceans Foundation. The movies of the remarks will be posted soon on the IYOR web site.
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IYOR Mini-symposium
hosted by Mexican Cultural Institute on behalf of the Mexico-United States Secretariat
of the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI)
Date: Friday, January 25, 9:00-14:00
Location: The Mexican Cultural Institute
2829 16th St NW
Washington, DC 20009
Contact: Francis Staub
Ph. 202-247-8670
fstaub@iyor.org
The purpose of the January 25th symposium is to celebrate IYOR through a showcase of IYOR activities taking place around the world, and to allow ICRI participants to meet, share, brainstorm and coordinate regarding their IYOR plans. [More]
