The Faculty of Natural & Applied Sciences in close collaboration with the University Research Board is organizing a series of interfaculty events to celebrate the International Day on Biological Diversity (IDB) from May 21st till 29th, 2012 and to raise awareness on the importance of marine biodiversity.

Awareness on biodiversity empowers communities to be part of public participation processes and to better protect biodiversity. Its importance is globally highlighted each year on the IDB on May 22nd as proclaimed by the UN. Biological diversity is defined as the variability among all living organisms. It affects our lives as it constitutes an integral part of our social, cultural and economic growth. At present, threats to the natural world are putting not only biodiversity at stake, but also our existence and well-being.

In the late 80s, the United Nations Environment Programme sent a wake-up call to the world community to mobilize countries to ratify an international treaty to protect biodiversity. In 1992, the Rio Summit was a landmark witnessing the birth of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). CBD main objectives have set motion towards a more sustainable world. These are the protection of biodiversity, sustainable use of resources and equitable sharing of benefits arising from these resources.

NDU, believing in its students, their capacities and their driven state of mind to build a better world, calls for your active participation in the various interfaculty activities on Marine Biodiversity which entail poster and photo competition, photo exhibition, seminars, documentaries, and much more!