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Wangari Maathai Forest Champion Award 2017

The Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF) is awarding one extraordinary individual for improving our forests and the lives of people who depend on them!

The CPF launched the first Wangari Maathai Award in 2012 to honour and commemorate the impact of this extraordinary woman who championed forest issues around the world. In 2017, the CPF will award another individual for her/his outstanding achievements for forests.

The awardee will receive a cash prize of USD20,000 along with international recognition of the outstanding contributions to preserve, restore and sustainably manage forests and to raise awareness of the key role forests play in supporting local communities, rural livelihoods, women and the environment. 

The Wangari Maathai Award was created by CBD, CIFOR, FAO, GEF, ICRAF, ITTO, IUCN, IUFRO, UNCCD, UNDP, UNEP, UNFCCC, UNFF and World Bank, all members of the CPF. Nominations will be reviewed by an international jury of renowned personalities, who will also take into consideration such elements as empowering women, youth and civil society, fostering social commitment, promoting networks and improving the valuation of forests in society.

Eligibility: Applicants should be nominated by a third party. Nominees may be persons, living or recently deceased, who have made exceptional contributions to forests. Professional and research contributions will only be considered if they are conducted outside of normal work-related responsibilities. Applications received from a nominee’s kin or business partner are not eligible for consideration. Applications related to grassroots initiatives are particularly encouraged.

Selection: The closing date for receipt of nominations is 30 September 2017. The awardee will be selected by a jury nominated by CPF members, which will take into account gender and regional balance when considering potential awardees.

Announcement: The awardee will be notified of their selection via email in October 2017. This year’s Wangari Maathai Award will be presented on 19 December 2017, at the Global Landscapes Forum to be held at the Bonn Convention Center on 19-20 December 2017 in Bonn, Germany. 

To submit an application: Please send completed nominations to the CPF Secretariat at cpf@un.org. The attached guidelines should be used when submitting your nomination.

Click for Guidelines for nominations 

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