Side event and workshop at the IUCN World Parks Congress:
Event number 050; Thursday, November 13; 20:00-21.30; Hall 4 Pod North.
Organised by the IUCN Specialist group on Cultural and Spiritual Values of Protected Areas and The Mountain Institute (TMI). Facilitated by Bas Verschuuren and Edwin Bernbaum (CSVPA Co-Chairs) and Josep-Maria Mallarach (CSVPA Steering Committee). Download Flyer ⟶
Poster developed by the the Harpers Ferry Center of the National Park Service
Purpose:
This side event is dedicated to building a network and generating ideas and projects to support the cultural and spiritual significance of nature in protected area management and governance beyond the WPC. It brings together the newly formed network and those interested in contributing to the development of these ideas, especially to a dedicated volume of the WCPA Best Practice Guidelines. This event complements a session organised by the CSVPA on the role of cultural and spiritual significance of nature in protected areas management and governance.
Format:
After a short introductory presentation participants will break out to work in small groups to reflect on the content of the Best Practice Guidelines and report back to the main group on the ways in which they feel they can contribute to developing and implementing the Best Practice Guidelines.
Potential Outcomes:
Based on the work undertaken by the participants the side event will focus on:
- Working on Best Practice Guidelines being developed by the Specialist Group on CSVPA,
- Develop and strengthen a network of people interested in continuing working together on ideas and projects,
The participants will also form a network that will focus on developing measures such as workshops, training modules, and websites that will increase the effectiveness of protected area management, governance and conservation by creating respect for diverse views of nature and involving the widest possible range of stakeholders.
The BPG are being developed by the IUCN Specialist Group on Cultural and Spiritual Values of Protected Areas (CSVPA) and are intended to broaden the scope of protected area governance, management and conservation to take into account the cultural, spiritual, aesthetic, historic and social significance that nature has for people of diverse societies and cultures, both traditional and modern. The recognition and promotion of the role of the cultural and spiritual significance of nature will be the means for engaging followers of mainstream religions and members of the general public as well as Indigenous Peoples and local communities, broadening the social support for protected areas and nature conservation.
Tibetan Pilgrim, Mount Kailas.
The BPG aim for a wide appeal and a greater impact on a large number and variety of protected areas in all IUCN categories as well as governance types. The CSVPA aims to achieve this by building on previous work such as the 2003 World Parks Congress Recommendation V. 13, “Cultural and Spiritual Values of Protected Areas” and the development of the IUCN UNESCO Best Practice Guidleines 16 on Sacred Natural Sites. The work will also be supported through experiences of CSVPA affiliates such as the Delos Initiativ and the ‘Sacred Natural Sites Initiative.
This effort will also contribute to the implementation of the 2008 IUCN Resolution 4.099 “Recognition of the diversity of concepts and values of nature.” The resolution asked environmental organizations and government agencies to (1) incorporate different ways of understanding the relationship between humans and nature as a means to promote intercultural conservation efforts; (2) develop appropriate guidance to recognize the diverse ideas and values of nature and nature conservation; and where appropriate (3) promote and support nature conservation efforts that are rooted in the diversity of cultural values around the world.
