On 16 March 2015, Peace Parks Foundation added its message of endorsement to the World Youth Wildlife Declaration, which was originally compiled and signed by 150 young people from 20 countries at the first ever World Youth Rhino Summit held in South Africa in 2014.
Kingsley Holgate, founder of the Kingsley Holgate Foundation, and Sheelagh Atrobus from Project Rhino KwaZulu-Natal, presented the declaration to Peace Parks Foundation CEO, Werner Myburgh, and handed him a beautiful World Youth Rhino Summit photo book in recognition of and gratitude for Peace Parks Foundation's support as sponsor of the summit.
The World Youth Rhino Summit, organised by Project Rhino KZN, the Kingsley Holgate Foundation and Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, was held in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Game Reserve in KwaZulu-Natal on World Rhino Day 2014. The summit aimed to engage youth conservation leaders in rhino/wildlife conservation and protection strategies, thus empowering delegates to become ambassadors for wildlife and conservation. The summit proceedings culminated in the youth formulating and signing six hard-hitting resolutions that touch on issues such as engaging in demand reduction activities, fighting wildlife crime, addressing the links between poverty and poaching, and improving education and awareness on these issues.
The declaration now travels the world garnering support, and will also be signed by Archbishop Desmond Tutu on Wednesday, 18 March.
Said Mr Myburgh: “Peace Parks Foundation is delighted to be a part of such an inspirational initiative. The youth hold the long-term well-being of our world in the palm of their hands, but we need to guide them into a healthy and happy future. I cannot formulate it better than stated by the young people themselves, who declared: ‘We do not want to be the generation that tells our grandchildren that we did nothing about it, and so we call upon global leaders to join us in bringing the illegal trade in wildlife to an end’.