International Year of the Reef 2008


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IYOR Mini-symposium

Date: Friday, January 25, 9:00-14:00
Location: The Mexican Cultural Institute
2829 16th St NW
Washington, DC 20009
http://portal.sre.gob.mx/imw/
Contact: Francis Staub
Ph. 202-247-8670
fstaub@iyor.org

Note: transportation (by taxi) will be provided from the hotel to the Mexican Cultural Institute by the ICRI Secretariat.

The purpose of the January 25th symposium is to celebrate IYOR through a showcase of IYOR activities taking place around the world, and to allow ICRI participants to meet, share, brainstorm and coordinate regarding their IYOR plans.

Draft agenda:

08:00-09:00 - "Exhibit" set-up for participants willing to display posters, materials…

09:0-09:15 - Opening remarks by Arturo Sarukhan, Ambassador of Mexico to the United States of America (PDF File, 19 KB)

09:15-12:00 - IYOR Showcase: examples of IYOR events and initiatives planned around the world.

  • A Coral Reef In Your Home - PowerPoint presentation (PPT File - 5648 KB)
    Kyler Abernathy, Manager-Remote Imaging
    National Geographic

  • UNEP Toolkit - PowerPoint presentation (PPT File - 294 KB)
    Presented by Francis Staub on behalf of UNEP

  • IYOR: What you can do to help save coral reefs?
    Dr. Gregor Hodgson, Executive Director
    Reef Check Foundation
    IYOR Reef Check web page

    12:00 - "Reef Check" song

    The song was written by Russ Lesser, President of Body Glove International and member of "Thin Ice, The Band." The message of the song is: children and adults can "sing out" to protect and save the reefs. The lyrics consist of easy to understand concepts about the preservation of the coral reefs and the effect of the coral reefs on our global environment. The song is part of a worldwide educational program, sponsored by Body Glove, in conjunction with Reef Check and Jean-Michel Cousteau's Ocean Futures Society, to endorse the International Declaration of Reef Rights.

    The kids are from the Chesapeake Bay Middle School, located in Pasadena, Maryland, a "green signature" school, committed to environmental initiatives as part of their integrated curriculum. The music department chose a group of children, ages eleven through thirteen to perform "The Year of the Reef," song to fulfill their commitment to their environmental initiative.

    12:15-13:30 - IYOR Networking Session

    To allow ICRI participants to meet, share, brainstorm and coordinate regarding their IYOR plans.