On behalf of the Equator Initiative partnership, it is my great pleasure to announce the opening of the call for nominations for the Equator Prize 2010. Awarded biennially, the Equator Prize recognizes community-based initiatives that demonstrate extraordinary achievement in reducing poverty through the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in the equatorial belt. The Prize of course has special significance as it will be awarded during the International Year of Biodiversity, 2010.

Twenty-five community organizations will be honored with the Equator Prize 2010 and US $5,000 each. Five of these communities will receive special recognition and a total of US $20,000. Special recognition will be given in the following categories: one for each region of eligibility (Africa, Asia and the Pacific, and Latin America and the Caribbean), one to the initiative that best exemplifies Indigenous Peoples’ use of Traditional Knowledge, and one to the initiative that best exemplifies ecosystem-based adaptation to climate change. In addition to worldwide recognition for their work and an opportunity to shape national and global policy and practice in the field, all nominees for the Prize become part of the Equator Initiative’s global network and are profiled in the Equator Initiative biodiversity best practice database.

At the country level, you are uniquely positioned to spread the word about the Equator Prize 2010. We invite you to participate in the awards process by nominating eligible projects and by encouraging community and project leaders throughout your country to do the same. Project nominees should embody the development and conservation goals of the Equator Initiative, including poverty alleviation, biodiversity preservation, social inclusion and empowerment, and sustainability. We kindly ask for your assistance in circulating this information as widely as possible.

Detailed descriptions of eligibility requirements and selection criteria are available online at www.equatorinitiative.org . Nominations can be submitted in English, French, Spanish or Portuguese by 28 February 2010. We strongly encourage online nominations.

The Equator Initiative partners look forward to learning about – and sharing with the world – the innovations of local communities working at the intersection of biodiversity conservation and poverty reduction. With your contribution, we can make the International Year of Biodiversity an outstanding one for community-based initiatives throughout the developing world seeking to reduce poverty and conserve biodiversity.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact Eileen de Ravin, Manager of the Equator Initiative, at eileen.de.ravin@undp.org. Thank you for your invaluable assistance.

Frida