Notification 2015-030

Dear Madam/Sir, I am pleased to inform you that, with the generous support of the Governments of Japan and Guatemala as well as the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency through SwedBio at Stockholm Resilience Centre, the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), in collaboration with SwedBio and the International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity, is organizing three international meetings that will be held back-to-back in Guatemala, as follows: 8-10 June 2015: International Training Workshop on Community–Based Monitoring , Indicators on Traditional Knowledge and Customary Sustainable Use and Community Protocols within the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 11-13 June 2015: Dialogue Workshop on Assessment of Collective Action of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities in Biodiversity Conservation and Resource Mobilization 14-15 June 2015: Expert Meeting on the Repatriation of Traditional Knowledge Relevant to the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biological Diversity I am therefore pleased to invite interested Parties, in particular Parties that have nominated national focal points for traditional knowledge, indigenous peoples and local community organizations to nominate representatives to these meetings based on the following criteria: (i) Their ability to conduct further trainings at the regional, national, subnational or local levels on community-based monitoring and indicators on traditional knowledge and customary sustainable use, and community protocols on traditional knowledge (TK), including traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources under the Nagoya Protocol; (ii) Their expertise on methodological frameworks for evaluating the contribution of collective action to biodiversity conservation; (iii) Their expertise on the repatriation of traditional knowledge relevant to the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity. Nominations should be submitted through an official letter addressed to the Executive Secretary, by e-mail at: secretariat@cbd.int, or by fax at: +1 (514) 288-6588, and must contain full contact details of the nominee, along with a curriculum vitae clearly indicating the relevant areas of expertise and the attached nomination form, no later than 27 March 2015. Subject to the availability of funds, the Secretariat will select the participants on the basis of subregional balance, gender equity, relevant expertise, and ability to contribute in the meeting(s) and organize other workshops at the regional, national, subnational and/or local levels. For greater efficiencies these meetings are being held back to back and consideration will be given to nominees who can contribute to two or more of these events. In addition, based on the criteria for each event, some nominees may be selected for specific meetings. I thank you for your cooperation and your continued support for the work of the Convention. Please accept, Madam/Sir, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Executive Secretary

To: CBD, TK, SBSTTA and the Nagoya Protocol National Focal Points, International and Non-Governmental organizations, Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities and relevant organizations