IUCN Congress 2016 fundraising campaign kicks off with appointment of Partnerships Coordinator

Previously Managing Director for Enterprise Honolulu, the Oʻahu Economic Development Board, a non-profit organisation established in 1988, Mr McGuffie was responsible for many aspects of economic development state-wide. These included organising and fundraising for congresses and conferences, securing sponsorship and programmatic grants from private institutions and US Federal Government agencies to benefit the State of Hawaiʻi.

Mark’s knowledge of Hawaiʻi and the sustainability issues the State faces will be an enormous asset in gaining support for the IUCN Congress, which will bring together several thousand leaders and decision makers from government, civil society, business and academia. The event, held once every four years, pushes the global agenda in safeguarding the environment and harnessing the solutions that nature offers to global challenges such as food and water security.

“We are thrilled that Mark is joining the IUCN team to lead fundraising for the 2016 World Conservation Congress. He was instrumental in Hawaiʻi’s successful bid to host the Congress and will continue building international alliances that generate maximum support for the event,” said Dr Enrique Lahmann, Global Director, IUCN Union Development Group. “This will be the first time in IUCN’s 68-year history that the Congress will be held in the United States, and Mark’s knowledge of the political and funding landscape at both State and Federal level is invaluable.”

“I look forward to working with Mark and bringing his expertise to bear in engaging important new partners in conservation,” said Gillian Holmes, Director, IUCN Strategic Partnerships. “Conservation and sustainable development cannot be achieved by the environmental community alone. We have a duty to protect the rich biodiversity of our planet for our children and our children’s children. We need new partnerships – and more resources – to ensure this happens.”