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7th World Wilderness Congress will return to Port Elizabeth, South
Africa, where delegates from more than 50 countries are expected to convene from
November 2 through 8 this year. The theme for this year's Congress is
"Wilderness & Human Communities - the Spirit of the 21st
Century", and it is obvious that this African initiative shall have as its
goals, many levels of sustainable development throughout the continent.
Dr. Ian Player, who founded the WWC in 1977, announced the return of the
Congress to the continent of its origin, saying "It is fitting that the
Congress, which was first held in South Africa and then traveled the world, has
returned to Africa during the launch of the African Recovery Program."
Support for the Millennium African Recovery Program, or MAP, created by South
African President Thabo Mbeki, will be a major focus of the 7th WWC,
according to Dr. Player, who anticipates that it shall be supported by both
African and industrialized nations.
Dr. Player emphasized that the Congress is more than just a place to talk
about sustainable development. He noted that MAP, the African initiative, shall
combine the needs of Africa's indigenous communities with "a strategy for
nurturing these resources and using them for the development of and trade by the
African peoples, while preserving them for all humanity." He anticipates
that direct action to accomplish those goals shall be a result of the
conference, that is expected to be attended by environmentalists, as well as
representatives of both business and governments.
Support for the MAP initiative shall include specific strategy for
development to save wild lands while providing better living conditions for
African peoples. This shall include pointed discussions about the problems of
forest dwelling African people, whose communities have not previously been well
served in the resource extraction process.
US Assistant Secretary of State for Africa, Walter Kansteiner, shall attend,
as will ten persons from the World Bank's Global Environment Facility. It is
obvious that economic, social, cultural, and conservation interests shall all
interact through the Congress. Dr. Player predicts that the Congress will be
"a meeting of the old spirit of Africa with the new spirit of the modern
world." His goals are that development come to Africa as soon as possible,
through the very best combination of concern for human welfare and maximum
conservation of Africa's unique wilderness heritage. IWMC agrees with these
goals and wish the 7th World Wilderness Congress the best success in
November.
