Notification 2008-031

Dear Madam/Sir, The Secretariat, in cooperation with the Consortium of the Scientific Partners on Biodiversity and the Botanical Gardens of the University of Bonn, is pleased to announce the organization of four training workshops for the participants in the ninth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP-9) to be held from 19 to 30 May 2008 in Bonn, Germany. The workshops will be held in parallel sessions from 9:30 to 13:00 on Sunday 25 May. Information on the exact venue and the detailed program of the trainings will be provided at a later date. The four training workshops will respectively focus on: (i) Plant conservation in Botanic Gardens – A practical workshop (organized by the Botanical Gardens of the University of Bonn); (ii) The Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (one session in French and one session in English); (iii) The UNEP-WCMC Issue-based Modules on the joint implementation of international environmental agreements; and (iv) The Barcoding of Life. These trainings aim to give practical information to the participants, be interactive and provide opportunities to exchange experiences and knowledge. On the kind invitation of the Botanical Gardens of the University of Bonn, the training workshops may be followed in the afternoon by an hour and a half tour through their facilities. As space is limited, delegates are encouraged to register as early as possible. Registration forms are attached and should be completed and returned to the Secretariat no later than 1 May 2008. I wish to encourage you to participate in these important training activities and to share this information with interested colleagues.

Executive Secretary

To: All CBD, CHM and SBSTTA National Focal Points