WAZA opens call for proposals ahead of 2020 Annual Conference

The World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA), the global alliance of regional associations, national federations, zoos and aquariums, is welcoming proposals for its 75th Annual Conference.

With the theme of ‘The Future of Zoos and Aquariums’, the Conference will be hosted by San Diego Zoo and held jointly with the International Zoo Educators Association (IZE) and will run from 11th to 15th October.

Opening the call for proposals for its 2020 conference, which applies until 1st April, WAZA advised in a statement “with the climate crisis making headlines around the world, and with the sixth mass extinction on the horizon, WAZA members will meet to discuss the future of zoos, with the aim to build a shared vision to fight against extinction”.

Topics discussed during the event will include how do zoos and aquariums:

• Remain relevant in the digital age?
• Continue to be positioned as the experts in animal welfare and ensure the best animal welfare practices at our facilities?
• Raise the funds necessary to grow and maintain facilities, and at the same time, fund overwhelming conservation necessities?
• Engage more closely with IUCN SSC, CITES, and other global organisations in the battle to end extinction?
• Deal with climate change?
• Make our facilities financially and environmentally sustainable?
• Drive conservation behavioural change in our guests?
• Remain relevant conservation organisations?
• Attract the next generation of conservation leaders?

For more information, or to submit an abstract, members can click here to visit the conference website.

Last year, WAZA’s 74th Annual Conference in the Argentine capital of Buenos Aires welcome almost 200 attendees from 34 countries.

Click here for more information on the AALARA 2020 Conference in the Australasian Leisure Management industry Calendar. 

Image: Young wallabies at the San Diego Zoo.