While there is a growing recognition that biological diversity is a global asset of tremendous value to future generations, the number of species is being significantly reduced by certain human activities. Given the importance of public education and awareness about this issue, the United Nations decided to celebrate the International Day for Biological Diversity annually.

FORUM: “Our solutions are in nature”.

The theme International Day for Biological Diversity 2020 is “Our solutions are in nature” emphasizes hope, solidarity and the importance of working together at all levels to build a future of life in harmony with nature.

Messages for the International Day for Biological Diversity: "Our solutions are in nature", 22 May 2020;

• Statement from the Secretary-General of the United Nations on International Day for Biological Diversity 2020; 22 May.

• Message from the President of Costa Rica; HE Mr. Carlos Alvarado Quesada

• Message from the President of the United Nations General Assembly; Mr. Tijjani Muhammad-Bande

Messages from COP Presidencies

• COP 2 Presidency: Indonesia - HE Dr. Siti Nurbaya Bakar, Minister of Environment and Forestry

• COP 5 Presidency: Kenya - HE Mr. Keriako Tobiko, Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Environment and Forestry

• COP 7 Presidency: Malaysia - HE Dato' Dr. Shamsul Anuar Nasarah, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources (KeTSA); Watch on Youtube - Written statement

• COP 8 Presidency: Brazil - HE Mr. Ricardo Salles, Minister of the Environment

• COP 9 Presidency: Germany - HE Ms. Svenja Schulze, Federal Minister for the Environment

• COP 10 Presidency: Japan - HE Mr. Koizumi Shinjirō, Minister of the Environment

• COP 11 Presidency: India - HE Mr. Prakash Javadekar. Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change; Watch on Youtube - Written statement

• COP 14 Presidency: Egypt - HE Dr. Yasmine Fouad, Egyptian Minister of Environment

• COP 15 Presidency: China - HE Mr. Huang Runqiu, Minister of Ecology and Environment

Messages from UN Agencies

• Message from Ms. Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

• Message from Ms. Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, Acting Executive Secretary of the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), Watch on Youtube, PDF: English

• Message from Mr. Qu Dongyu, Director-General, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

• Message from Ms. Audrey Azoulay, Director-General, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)

• Message from Mr. Gilbert F. Houngbo, President, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)

• Message from Ms. Ivonne Higuero, Secretary-General of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)

• Message from Mr. Jingyuan Xia, Secretary, International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC)

• Message from Ms. Martha Rojas Urrego, Secretary General, Ramsar Convention on Wetlands

• Message from Dr. Rebecca Lent, Executive Secretary, International Whaling Commission (IWC); Watch on youtube: English - Français

• Message from Mr. Kent Nnadozie, Secretary, International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA)

• Message from Dr. Mechtild Rössler, Director, UNESCO World Heritage Centre (WHC)

• Message from Ms. Amy Fraenkel, Executive Secretary, Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS)

• Message from Mr. Jacques Trouvilliez, Executive Secretary, Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA)

• Message from Mr. Pitambar Shrestha, Programme Operations Director at the Local Initiatives for Biodiversity, Research and Development (LI-BIRD), CCAFS, Bioversity International

• Message from United Nations Environment Programme Mediterranean Action Plan - Barcelona Convention

Messages from Governments

• Bangladesh - Message from HE. Mr. Shahab Uddin, Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change

• Italy - Video spot for the International Day for Biodiversity and World Environment Day by the Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA) - English - Italian

• United Arab Emirates - Message from HE Hana Saif Al Suwaidi, Chairperson of the Environment and Protected Areas Authority, Sharjah

Messages from Subnational Governments

• Western Cape Government, South Africa: Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning

• Video: Ecological Investment Infrastructure Framework (EIIF) to address the risks of alien invasive species infestations

• Bonn, Germany - Message from Ashok Sridhara, Mayor of Bonn, and President of ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability

• Watch on youtube: English - Deutsch

• Montréal, Canada - Message from Valérie Plante, Mayor of Montréal, and ICLEI Global Ambassador for Local Biodiversity

Messages from Organizations

• Mr. Marco Lambertini, Director General, WWF International

• Dr. Grethel Aguilar, Acting Director General International, Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN)

• Dr. Theresa Mundita S. Lim, Executive Director, ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB), Watch on Youtube - Press statement - Website

• Dr. David Molden,Director General, International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD)

• Ms Elena Moreno, Regions4 President for the North and Deputy Minister for the Environment of Basque Country

• Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union (NABU), Germany (in German)

• Dr. Cordula Weiss of the Waterford Institute of Technology

• Mr. Pier Giovanni Capellino, President, Fondazione Capellino

• Ms. Margaret O'Gorman, President, Wildlife Habitat Council

• Ms. Renata Gómez, Biodiversity Programme Manager, Regions4

• Ms. Amanda Katili-Niode, Chair, Omar Niode Foundation, Indonesia

• Ms. Ana Di Pangracio, Biodiversity - Deputy Director, Fundación Ambiente y Recursos Naturales (FARN), Argentina - English - Español

• Ms. Mariana Giozza, VBIO virtual platform, Brazil

• Mr. KC Bansal, Member, Board of Directors, Global Plant Council

• The White Feather Foundation (Julian Lennon), UK

• Global Youth Biodiversity Network

• Earth School, Cape Town, South Africa

• Dahdaleh Institute for Global Health Research, York University, Canada

• Engr. Felix Jose M. Vitangcol, Secretary-General, Philippine Business for Environmental Stewardship (PBEST)

• Shumei International, Japan

• Open Letter from 300 Filipino Scientists and Conservationists Calling for a Culture of Care for Nature

• GSS Sustainability, Brazil, Watch on Youtube - Written statement

• Yellow Sea Large Marine Ecosystem (YSLME); Short messages from India

Messages from indigenous peoples and local communities

Message from Ms. Lucy Mulenkei, Co-chair of the International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity (IIFB)

Africa

• Ms. Cindi Kobei International Alliance, Kenya

• Ms. Florence Yassi AIWO, Kenya

• Ms. Balkisou Buba IWBN, Cameroon

• Ms. Martha Ntoipo IWBN, Tanzania

• Ms. Lucy Mulenkei, Indigenous Information Nextwork IIN, IIFB, Kenya

Asia

• Mr. Gam A. Shimray, Secretary General, Asian Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP)

• Ms. Thingreiphi Lunghareo, Indigenous Women and Biodiversity Network (IWBN), Nagaland, India

Central and South America and the Caribbean

• Ms. Florina López Miro. Red de Mujeres Indígenas sobre Biodiversidad de América Latina y El Caribe

• Ms. Irma Pineda, Member of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues

• Ms. Jesica Vega, mixteca de México, miembro de la Red de Jóvenes Indígenas en Latino America y el Caribe, y co-presidenta del GIYC Yeshing Upún, Maya Kaqchikel de Guatemala

The Arctic

• Árbediehtu ja dan mearkkašupmi luonddu máŋggahámatvuhtii

• Luándu maaŋgâhámásâšvuotâ já suojâlemkuávluh sehe ärbivuáváliih iäláttâsah

• Luonddu máŋggahámatvuohta ja árbevirolaš biebmu

North America

• Mr. Perry Bellegarde, Chief of the Assembly of First Nations National

The Pacific

• Daniel Morgan, Cultural Fire Practioner