Call for Participation - COP 9, Bonn Germany

***Call for Participation* *** Please circulate widely.
DEADLINE FOR APPLICATION IS 18 March 2008.


The CBD Alliance supports "Southern" (from 'developing' countries and
countries with economies in transition) civil society representatives,
and Indigenous and local community participation in Convention on
Biological Diversity (CBD) and CBD-related meetings. We have
approximately six spaces (airfare, visa costs, per diem, hotel ) to
support participation in the following meetings:

1. Meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety
(COP-MOP 4) 12-16 May 2008, Bonn Germany
Please see http://www.cbd. int/doc/? meeting=MOP- 04 for full agenda
and documents. Issues to be discussed include (but not limited to):
Handling, transport, packaging and identification of living modified
organisms (Article 18)
Risk assessment and risk management (Articles 15 and 16).
Liability and redress (Article 27).
Subsidiary bodies (Article 30).
Monitoring and reporting (Article 33).
Assessment and review (Article 35).
Socio-economic considerations (paragraph 2, Article 26).
Public awareness and participation (paragraph 1, Article 23).
Options for implementation of the notification requirement under Article 8.



2. Ninth Conference of the Parties to the Convention on
Biological Diversity (COP 9) 19 - 30 May 2008, Bonn Germany.

Please see http://www.cbd. int/doc/? meeting=COP- 09 for full agenda
and all documents. Issues to be discussed include (but not limited
to):

Agricultural biodiversity.
Invasive alien species.
Forest biodiversity.
Incentive measures.
Ecosystem approach.
Progress in the implementation of the Strategic Plan and progress
towards the 2010 target.
Financial resources and the financial mechanism.
Access and benefit-sharing.
Article 8(j) and related provisions.
Biodiversity and climate change.
Biodiversity of dry and sub-humid lands.
Protected areas.
Biodiversity of inland waters.
Marine and coastal biodiversity.
Island biodiversity.
Global Taxonomy Initiative.
Liability and redress.
Guidance to the financial mechanism.

Please note: We have found that participants with some experience with
the issues are most effective at fora such as the Conference of the
Parties Please do not apply for this funding unless you have direct
experience with the issues to be discussed at these meetings (at
either local, national, or international levels). We also find that
those most successful participants have a plan for how they will
participate in these meetings: what issues they will press forward,
and how. Please familiarize yourself with the agenda and documents on
the secretariat websites noted above prior to applying.


If you are interested, please fill out the application below, also
available on www.cbdalliance. org. DO NOT SEND CVs/Resumes - FILL OUT
THE APPLICATION AND BE AS BRIEF AS POSSIBLE.

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATION IS 18 March 2008.
Applications received after this date will not be considered.

PLEASE EMAIL APPLICATIONS TO Swati Shresth (swatishresth@ gmail.com).
Please put "CBD Alliance Application" in the subject of your email.



Application Process:

The Advisory Board to the CBD Alliance is responsible for selecting
participants. This advisory board is regionally balanced civil society
and also has specific representation for Indigenous Peoples, Women,
and youth. The board has been openly nominated and supported through
the biodiv_civsoc listserve. Upon receiving applications, regional
advisory board members make recommendations to the full advisory
board, who is responsible for the final decision making. Please
contact Swati Shresth at swatishresth@ gmail.com for more information
on the advisory board and the process we use to select participants.
Or see www.cbdalliance. org for more information including the current
advisory board.


You will receive notification of the results by 31 March 2008. If
selected you are required to either accept or decline the support
within 3 days of receiving notice. Following this, selected
participants must follow the deadlines communicated by the coordinator
in order to facilitate prompt travel arrangements. Failure to comply
with these deadlines will result in a reallocation of funding to other
applicants.

Funding Disbursement:

For those selected, the Alliance prefers to reimburse participants
(individuals/ organizations) after the event upon receiving the
original receipts, signed invoices and the final report (see
application form for more information on the report). This is for
accounting purposes. However, exceptions can be made for candidates
requiring pre-financing (for airfare only, hotel and perdiems will be
paid at the meeting, all other expenses are reimbursed following
receipt of all receipts and reports).


About the CBD Alliance

The CBD Alliance is a loose network of activists, NGOs, local
community representatives and Indigenous Peoples representatives
advocating for improved and informed participation in Convention on
Biological Diversity processes - particularly the participation of
Southern NGOs, Indigenous Peoples and Community Based Organizations.
We currently moderate an email listserve of over 250 activists around
the CBD. See www.cbdalliance. org for more information. The Alliance
is currently hosted by Kalpavriksh, an environmental NGO Based in
Pune, India. See http://www.kalpavri ksh.org/ for more information.


Application Form


Please fill out the following application form. Please do not send CVs
or resumes.

I. Contact and Affiliation Details
Name:
Organizational Affiliation:
Address:
Email:

II. Meetings you would like to attend
Please note clearly the meetings you would like to attend (MOP 4 and/or COP 9).

III. Information about yourself
Please answer the following questions. Please be brief (less than 400
words in total). Successful candidates are generally those who have
clear, specific plans of what they hope to achieve at the meetings
beyond general 'learning'.

What is your experience with biodiversity issues (local, national,
regional, international) , in particular, we would like to know what
experience you have with issues being discussed at these meetings.
Please be specific. If you are applying for both meetings please
reference your experience with issues on both agendas.


Explain briefly why you want to participate in these meetings, and
what you hope to gain from participating. What issues do you hope to
bring forward, particularly in relation to the issues under
discussion? What groups will you work with, and how will you make the
views of your organization or community known?

Please outline any experience you have within international processes.

IV Participation in civil society strategy sessions and training session
All selected participants new to the CBD process, or relatively new,
are required to attend the inaugural Civil Society capacity building
day on 16 May 2008. This means arriving in Bonn on 15 May. In
addition, the Alliance, along with its partners, will be hosting
sessions on the weekend prior to COP 9 to allow for information
sharing, further capacity building and joint strategy building. All of
our supported participants are expected to participate in these
sessions. Please indicate if you will be able to attend these
sessions, which requires arriving one or two days before the official
secretariat meetings. Please answer Yes or No.

V Languages spoken
While we endeavor to make this process open, we struggle with
interpretation costs. Please list all languages you are able to work
in, so we can best anticipate and plan for your needs, if you should
be selected.

NOTE:
Each funded participant is required to write a brief, but analytical
report from the meeting outlining what happened, what was achieved,
and their participation. We also strongly encourage selected
applicants to contribute an article to the production of the ECO - the
civil society newsletter (please see www.cbdalliance. org). It is
expected that each selected participant will actively and fully
participate in the proceedings.
KINDLY CC YOUR APPLICATION TO ASIA INDIGENOUS PEOPLES PACT FOUNDATION
aipp@aippfoundation .org.
Mekong Alumni will collaborate to promote harmonious relationships
between Humans and the Environment.