Sahil Merchant
Elizabeth Maruma Mrema
Highlights from the 75th WAZA Virtual Annual Conference Ivonne Higuero
The 75th WAZA Annual Conference took place virtually from 12-15 October 2020 and welcomed over 700 people from 48 countries and regions around the world. While we were disappointed not to be able to meet you all in person this year, we were delighted to be able to welcome so many people to the virtual conference. We hope to ensure future conferences are as accessible for all of our members. Over the four days of the conference, we heard from keynote speakers, Sahil Merchant, James Gomme, Elizabeth Maruma Mrema and Ivonne Higuero. Sahil Merchant, a partner at the worldwide management consulting firm McKinsey & Company, was the opening keynote speaker on Monday 12 October. He gave an inspiring presentation on leading in a complex world and challenged people not to do more but to do things differently. James Gomme, Director of Sustainable Development Goals from the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, discussed the importance of zoos and aquariums contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). While, Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) praised the valuable role of zoos and aquariums in conservation and conservation education, as well as how they have contributed to the goals of the CBD and
can help support the post-2020 global biodiversity framework. You can read more about her speech in this magazine. Over the four days, we heard a variety of fantastic presentations and panel discussions on diverse topics. A global panel on COVID-19 saw panellists share their different approaches to overcoming and handling the crises presented by the pandemic in their respective countries, of India, Italy, Mexico, New Zealand, South Africa and the United States of America. A panel on ‘The Paths Towards Reducing Carbon Emissions in Zoos and Aquariums’ examined decarbonisation, deforestation and reforestation, looking at examples from Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), Helsinki Zoo and Taronga Zoo. We heard the latest updates on Reverse the Red – a social movement to reverse the negative trends in species extinction, calling for strategic action and collaborative partnerships. Corina Newsome, from Georgia Audubon, gave a thought-provoking presentation on disrupting homogeneity and how zoos and aquariums can promote and achieve inclusion and equality. Updates were shared on WAZA activities over the past 12 months, including progress towards the WAZA 2023 Animal Welfare Goal, the recently launched WAZA Animal-Visitor Interaction
5