Press Release 16 August 2004

North Rupununi Wildlife Clubs & Iwokrama Expect 4th Annual Wildlife Festival to be the Biggest Yet

Annai, Region 9 - The fourteen youth Wildlife Clubs of the North Rupununi will from 19 to 21 August 2004 hold their annual Wildlife Festival at the Bina Hill Institute in Annai. The theme for the 2004 Wildlife Festival is "Our Environment, Our Home, Our Business", and the event will help youths and their families understand, express and enjoy the benefits of conservation

This annual event was first implemented in 2001 and has raised awareness about conservation and natural resource use issues across Guyana, as well as helping to spread the conservation message to the rest of the world.

The Festival programme, designed by the Wildlife Clubs, will include a great variety of interactive and learning activities. During the three days, there will be a parade of clubs' banners and animal costumes, club presentations, games, skits, and contests for cotton spinning, poetry and archery. Festival participants will also attend fora on social and developmental issues like sexual abuse and confidence. ( Note to editor: agenda attached ). Jacksonville Zoo representative Kelliann Whitney will be attending the event and will assist with presenting canvas tote bags, which the Florida Zoo helped produce, to each participant as a Festival souvenir.

The Wildlife Clubs have reached out to others in Guyana and hope that the number of Wildlife Clubs in Guyana can grow. Other communities invited to the Festival are Karasabai, Dadanawa, Santa Rosa, Nappi, St. Ignatius, Wakapoa, and Yupukari.

The Wildlife Festival would not be possible without the support of Guyanese and overseas donors who assist financially as well as donate prizes and gifts. To date, these generous, individuals and organisations have donated over GY$100,000 and numerous prizes and participant gifts.

There are over 360 Wildlife Club members as young as 8 years old who promote interest in Guyana 's wildlife and the environment, and hope to affect long-term community involvement in natural resource management. There are Clubs in each village in and around the Iwokrama Forest. They are represented by an umbrella body, the North Rupununi Junior Wildlife & Development Council (NRJWDC) and co-sponsored by the North Rupununi District Development Board and Iwokrama International Centre. (More details available at www.iwokrama.org/people/wildlifeclubs.htm).