Notification 2012-124

Dear Madam/Sir, Through decision X/17, the Conference of the Parties decided to adopt the consolidated update of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation, including the outcome-oriented global targets for the period 2011-2020, contained in the annex below, and to pursue the implementation of the Strategy as part of the broader framework of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020. In the same decision, the Conference of the Parties invited Parties and other Governments to inter alia develop or update national and, regional targets as appropriate, and, where appropriate, to incorporate them into relevant plans, programmes and initiatives, including national biodiversity strategies and action plans, and to align the further implementation of the Strategy with national and/or regional efforts to implement the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020. The Conference of the Parties further requested the Executive Secretary, in collaboration with the Global Partnership for Plant Conservation and other partners and relevant organizations, to organize regional capacity-building and training workshops on national, subregional and regional implementation of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation. In light of these provisions, and with the generous support from the Government of Japan, the Secretariat, in collaboration with Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI), the National Commission for Knowledge and Use of Biodiversity (CONABIO) and the Botanical Garden of the Biology Institute of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), is organizing a workshop to build capacity and share experiences in GSPC implementation in the framework of the CBD’s Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 in the Spanish-speaking Caribbean, Central America and Mexico. The workshop will be held in Mexico City in parallel with BGCI’s global Congress on Education in Botanic Gardens, providing an opportunity for participants to engage with educators from around the world with a focus on spreading plant conservation messages. The language of the workshop will be Spanish. I am pleased to invite your Government to nominate one representative to participate in this workshop. The representative would normally be the current GSPC focal point and, as such, would not require submission of curriculum vitae. In the case that the GSPC focal point is unable to attend or should a GSPC focal point not be designated, other nominees must include full contact details and be accompanied by curriculum vitae that clearly indicate the areas of expertise of the nominee. Please note that funding is limited and we encourage your early nominations. The nomination should be in the form of an official letter addressed to the CBD Executive Secretary signed by yourself, or a senior government official, and should contain the nominee’s name and full contact information, including email addresses. This letter can either be scanned and emailed to secretariat@cbd.int or faxed to the Secretariat at + 1 514 288 6588, no later than 28 September 2012. In submitting nominations, Parties are requested to note that the participant should be involved in the national implementation of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation. Upon receipt of nominations, further information on travel and hotel arrangements will be duly communicated. We look forward to receiving your early nominations.

Executive Secretary

To: CBD National Focal Points and GSPC Focal Points of the following countries: Belize, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Panama.