NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: Jan. 11, 2016

Office of Hawaiian Affairs Provides $500,000 for the
IUCN World Conservation Congress 2016 in Hawaii

Honolulu, Hawaii – The Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) has awarded $500,000 to the East-West Center and the IUCN World Conservation Congress National Host Committee/Hawaii 2016 in support of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) World Conservation Congress to be held in Hawaii on Sept. 1-10, 2016.

The IUCN Congress is the world’s largest and most inclusive nature conservation forum. Held every four years, it hosts 8,000 – 10,000 delegates from around the globe to discuss, debate and decide environmental and development issues and policy. It is instrumental in setting the direction of conservation efforts for the years to come – working towards the goal of a just world that values and conserves nature. This is the first time in the history of the IUCN Congress that the U.S. is serving as the host country with Hawaii being selected as the host site.

IUCN is the world’s oldest and largest global environmental organization. Created in 1948, the Union brings together more than 1,200 members, including over 200 government and 1,000 non- government organizations. A total of 94 IUCN members are based in the U.S., including the U.S. Department of State, OHA, the National Park Service, the National Geographic Society, Conservation International, the World Wildlife Fund and others.

IUCN’s work focuses on valuing and conserving nature, ensuring effective and equitable governance of its use, and deploying nature-based solutions to global challenges in climate, food and development.

Over 10 days, participants from governments, civil society, business and academia will debate and decide how best to manage our natural environment for human well-being and economic development, helping shape the future of our planet and its natural resources.

In an effort to promote and perpetuate the Native Hawaiian culture, OHA’s support of the IUCN Congress 2016 includes funding for the promotion of Native Hawaiian culture sites across the state to all registered participants through educational materials and tour packages, an expanded opening and closing ceremony with Native Hawaiian protocol and funding support for additional programmatic activities during the meetings.

The Congress National Host Committee/Hawaii 2016 is a Hawaii non-profit organization that was established in 2014 for charitable and educational purposes in support of the state’s commitment to serve as the official “host” of the IUCN Congress 2016. The East-West Center, a 501(c)(3) organization, serves as the fiscal sponsor to the IUCN Congress in Hawaii related to the planning, development and convening of the forum.

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) is a unique independent state agency through the Hawaii State Constitution and statutes to advocate for the betterment of conditions of all Native Hawaiians, with a Board of Trustees elected by the voters of Hawaii. OHA is guided by a vision and mission to ensure the perpetuation of culture, to protect the entitlement of Native Hawaiians, and to build a strong and healthy Hawaiian people and nation. For more information, visit www.oha.org.

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