Dear Colleagues, There is a saying in my language Bemba that says “Ichalo, Bantu!”. Literally translated “The world, is people”. It really speaks to the power of community and importance of respecting and acknowledging people. This October was my one-year anniversary and what an incredible year it’s been. When I arrived on October 3 2022, I arrived at a very busy time in the Secretariat when everyone was extremely busy preparing for COP14. It was literally a deep dive for me. Thank you for your support at a time that was incredibly stressful for all of us. The months that ensued gave me an opportunity to learn rather quickly and to understand the needs of the Contracting Parties better, know how best to align the Secretariat’s human resources and skill sets to those needs. It’s also been an amazing pleasure getting to know my team better by the day. As per my updates, I participated in many meetings, visited a number of countries and spoke at numerous events, highlighting and raising the visibility of our Convention and why wetlands matter. On many accounts I indicated the intersectional nature of wetlands and their centrality to Planetary Health. In addition, I contributed to a few articles that I co-authored with other experts. In many of my conversations I have highlighted the importance of intergenerational learning and why youth voices matter within spaces of multilateralism like ours. Speaking of multilateralism, our Secretariat team has been involved in many meetings where we have informed other processes about our Convention, our partnerships and simply gone there to learn and listen. I must say some of my most enjoyable and inspiring moments happened when I physically stood in front of a wetland either small or big. As a wetland ecologist, my joy truly comes from spending time in these amazing and important ecosystems that are lifelines for both humans and nature alike. This is why I am very excited about the theme for World Wetlands Day 2024 which is “Wetlands and Human Wellbeing.” As we inch closer to the end of the year, one of the life lessons I learnt this year is based on an African Proverb that says: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” And this is the power of Ubuntu, community. Sincerely, Dr Musonda Mumba
Secretary General, Convention on Wetlands |
