Southeast Asian youth conference tackles illegal wildlife trade

US Ambassador Philip S. Goldberg will deliver the opening remarks at the Southeast Asian Youth Conference on Illegal Wildlife Trade on March 18 at 9 a.m. at ADB Conference Center, Manila.  

 

The conference will run from March 18 to March 20. Over 40 leaders from the ASEAN region will discuss the principles of the London Declaration, which was adopted by over 40 countries (including the United States) at the London Conference on Illegal Wildlife Trade on February 12-13, 2014. 

 

The Conference aims to produce a “Youth Wildlife Trafficking Roadmap,” by which participants will commit to take action to combat wildlife trafficking in their local communities.     

 

Conference presenters include Robert Chan of the Palawan NGO Network, Bruce Dunn from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and David Emmett the Senior Vice President of Conservation International (CI)’s Asia Pacific Field Division. 

 

CI, the Southeast Asia Youth Environment Network, YSEALI, the U.S. State Department's Bureau of Oceans Environment and Science, ADB, and the U.S. Embassy in Manila are partners in this collaboration to call upon youth in Southeast Asia to take action to preserve and secure both the wildlife and natural ecosystems that sustain themselves and their communities. 

 

As the future leaders of tomorrow, youth have the power to engage and continue the paramount war against illegal wildlife trade.  — US Embassy news release