Dear {name},

In the coming two to three months we want to engage with you, our Community, specifically on the question:

"Where are we in our efforts to identify unknown (potential) pathogens?"

Do you have any insights that you would like to share? Reach out to us to create a post on our website! Or see the end of this Newsletter to learn how you can engage directly with the community.

Are you new here? Or would like to join the Alliance? 

Join us for our first introductory event for interested organisations and individuals, new and already acquainted Alliance members on: July 26th, 2023 at 16:30 – 17:15 CEST. Gain deeper insights into the work of the International Alliance against Health Risks in Wildlife Trade, membership, upcoming events, and have all your questions answered.

On June 6th, we held our Plenary Meeting where our Alliance community showcased exciting activities and developments. Highlights included the launch of our interactive members area on the new website and updates from the Working Groups. You can find the documentation in the Members Area.

Dr François Diaz, Scientific Coordinator for Wildlife and Bees, provided an overview of the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) activities and introduced the brand new “Guidelines for reducing the risk of disease spillover events at markets selling wildlife and along the wildlife supply chain” to the Alliance community. Members can now find the recording, the slides and the answered questions from the chat in the Members Area.

Indigenous communities are vital in safeguarding wildlife and possess valuable knowledge systems for nature conservation. Together with Indigenous Peoples Rights International, we organised a virtual learning series, 'Voices from the Ground,' featuring indigenous representatives from India, the DRC, West Papua, Brazil, Ecuador, and Greenland. The sessions highlighted the need for recognition of indigenous rights, ecosystem preservation, and government support. 

A team of social scientists and educators with support from Furtwangen University, Germany, IUCN/CEM EcoHealth Alliance and the Gaia Foundation, developed the engaging card game "Guardians of the Amazon" to educate on the restoration and protection of the Amazon. The game is distributed by the Peruvian NGO, Red de Acción en Agricultura Alternativa to all nine Amazonian countries. Join the project's second phase: 100 pilot versions of "Guardians of the Amazon" will be shared with partners, including Indigenous Peoples organizations, NGOs, universities, and public institutions. Your partnership can help shape the final version of the game.

The German Advisory Council on Global Change (WGBU) is an independent scientific advisory board for the German government. Its recent main assessment stressed the inseparability of human and environmental health. Find the English summary here, and the German short and long versions here.

On Friday, June 23, the Alliance hosted a side event at the CITES Animals Committee Meeting in Geneva. We were happy about the support of many of our members and gratefully welcomed Born Free Foundation, Humane Society International, IUCN, WWF, Global Initiative to End Wildlife Crime, Pan African Sanctuary Alliance (PASA), International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation (CIC). Our special thanks go to Sue Liebermann from WCS who has been an amazing host of this session! 

The Alliance is all about giving your work more visibility and connect different stakeholders that can thrive from each other’s expertise. Here is how to get active:

1. News Centre

Showcase your content by submitting blog posts, research, and upcoming projects to the Secretariat. We encourage you to also submit your contributions in any other languages besides English.

2. Community Pitches

Share your projects, news, and events in Community Pitches! Following Alliance events, you will have the opportunity to present your pitches to the community and promote collaboration. Email us to submit your pitches (2-3 minutes max).

3. Formats

We currently have the formats “Expert Talk” and “Voices from the Ground”. Get in touch with us, if you wish to learn more about them or would like to organise an event with the Alliance.

4. Interactive Website Plenary

Discover the interactive plenary in the members area on our website, where you can connect with others, request information, access event recordings, find relevant reads, and explore collaboration opportunities. Our Onboarding Video will help you to get started! Of course, you can also download our Media Kit and spread the word.

5. Project Map

Fill out the project profile and we will put you on the Project Map! Find the form here.