World Wildlife Day - March 3: Theme, History, and Important facts
World Wildlife Day is celebrated on March 3.
March 3 2023 will be a very special date, as it will also be marking the 50th anniversary of CITES.
What is Wildlife Day?
It is a United Nations International day to celebrate all wild animals and plants and the positive impact they have on our lives and the health of the planet.
World Wildlife Day History
On 20 December 2013, at its 68th session, the UNGA (United Nations General Assembly) declared 3 March as World Wildlife Day to celebrate and raise awareness of the world’s wild animals and plants.
This date was chosen because it is the birthday of CITES, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, signed in 1973.
CITES -
With the Parties to the Convention working with the shared goal of preserving the survival of endangered species, CITES has stood at the junction of trade and conservation.
CITES has sought to make alliances and reconcile differences among the groups that are led and governed by its regulations.
In order to focus on the conservation of species and ecosystems, these alliances have been essential at the national and local levels in every country across the globe.
In addition, the UNGA resolution named the CITES Secretariat as the facilitator of the worldwide observance of this special day for wildlife on the UN calendar.
About World Wildlife Day
World Wildlife Day has now become the most important global annual wildlife celebration.
All around the world, people rely on wildlife and resources based on biodiversity to meet all their basic needs, including food, fuel, medicines, housing, and clothes.
Nature is the source of livelihood and economic opportunity for millions of people. Nature has, however, been proven to be essential for our mental health too, even more than our needs.
World Wildlife Day Theme
This year's World Wildlife Day theme is
'Partnerships for Wildlife Conservation'.
It allows us to celebrate all conservation efforts, from the global to the local.
Within this theme, the day has a focus on two sub-topics: "Marine life & oceans" and "Business & finance".
Marine life & oceans – with around 70% of our earth covered by water, the impact of marine conservation is incredibly important.
Business & finance – globally, conservation efforts need to be funded and this work needs to be done in collaboration with business - an area that, in the past, has been seen as exploitative and unsustainable.
If we want to stop the loss of biodiversity, successful partnerships for conservation must find ways of including business.
This theme "Partnerships for Wildlife Conservation" will also give the chance to highlight the individuals who are making a difference.
The theme will offer the chance to celebrate CITES as the bridge that allowed these alliances to form and contribute significantly to sustainability, wildlife conservation, and biodiversity preservation.