ICIMOD celebrates
the International Year of Biodiversity

This year ICIMOD joins the world in celebrating the variety of life on earth. The International Year of Biodiversity (IYB) is an opportunity to highlight the unique biodiversity richness of the landscapes in the Hindu Kush-Himalayan region and to acknowledge the contributions made by the more than 200 million people who live here. The people of the Himalayas come from a host of diverse cultures and traditions and are the hereditary custodians and managers of the natural resources; they help to safeguard the mountain ecosystem services for the local people and the benefit of mankind.

ICIMOD is committed to conservation and biodiversity management at the regional scale as highlighted in the "Message from the DG" in this work it is guided in principle and action by the Convention on Biological Diversity, a global agreement on strategies for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity. This year ICIMOD is embracing the IYB theme by participating in specialised global conferences and workshops, hosting regional level trainings, and preparing information material that will highlight awareness of biodiversity in the Hindu Kush-Himalayas, as well as supporting national level activities of our partners. The SBSTTA-14 Meeting in Nairobi and the CoP10 Meeting in Nagoya are of particular interest. They will provide an opportunity to bring to international notice the collective efforts of ICIMOD's regional member countries in the conservation and sustainable management of their biodiversity resources. ICIMOD will also organise a special regional training on maintaining and enhancing biodiversity databases in collaboration with the Global Biodiversity Information Facility and Global Mountain Biodiversity Assessment.

This web page contains valuable information on the biodiversity richness of the Hindu Kush-Himalayan region and is part of ICIMOD's celebration of the International Year of Biodiversity. ICIMOD invites partners, regional member countries, and friends to join hands in safeguarding our irreplaceable natural wealth for the future wellbeing of people everywhere.