Award Ceremony for the Equator Prize

In July, we posted that the Mara River Water User's Association (MRWUA) had been awarded a 2010 Equator Prize from the Equator Initiative. As part of the award, a representative from the MRWUA was invited to New York City to participate in a 10-day long program. Kennedy Onyango, the Manager of the MRWUA, has been in NYC since September 14, participating in discussion forums with representatives from other award-winning community organizations. One of their goals has been crafting a statement community-based biodiversity conservation, which they will present at the United Nations on Thursday.

Today Kennedy will accept officially the Equator Prize on behalf of the MRWUA at a high level event sponsored by the United Nations Development Program.The theme of the evening is Biodiversity, Ecosystems and Climate Change: Scaling Up Local Solutions to Achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Invited speakers and guests include the Executive Secretary for the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Executive Secretary for the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. The Award Ceremony will be presided over by Ban Ki-moon, the United Nations Secretary-General, and others. Read more about this invitation-only event here. Congratulations again to the MRWUA for winning this impressive award!