The EAZA Education Conference 2019 (конференция Европейской ассоциации зоопарков и аквариумов)
Организаторы: Европейская ассоциация зоопарков и аквариумов (EAZA); Stockholm Zoo (Skansen Foundation)
emal: [email protected]
The EAZA Education Conference 2019 is hosted by Stockholm Zoo (Skansen Foundation) and we are looking forward to welcoming you all in the beautiful city of Stockholm! Skansen Zoo is part of the Skansen Open-Air Museum, which is located on the island of Djurgården, a popular recreation area in Stockholm.
Conference themes
1. Thinking forward for a sustainable future
In this theme we want to showcase how conservation education is an important aspect in sustainable development, and how EAZA zoos and aquariums should work in the future to collectively contribute to meeting the UN sustainable development goals. Some examples of the presentations we would like to see include; Is your zoo or aquarium using the UN Sustainable Development Goals as a key framework to how it operates, have you run a programme that links specifically to one or more of the goals or have you got a great idea of how to bring the goals to life and make them relevant to zoo audiences.
2. Meeting the EAZA Conservation Education Standards
In this topic we are interested in presentations and workshops that demonstrate how you have met one or more of the EAZA Conservation Education Standards. For example, have you implemented a new conservation education plan, do you have a new exhibit with education fully integrated into the design, has your zoo recently gone through an EAZA screening using the new screening questions? What were your experiences and what advice can you give to the other zoos and aquariums who will go through a similar process in the next few years.
3. The benefits of nature to human wellbeing
This draws on the Swedish Grön omsorg (Green care) approach and in this theme, we are looking for programmes and partnerships that use our zoos and aquariums, nature and natural environments to provide physical, mental, social and/or educational benefits for different, and often under-represented audiences to zoos and aquariums.
More about Grön omsorg here.
4. Telling better stories
One of the ongoing challenges for zoos and aquariums is how to engage our audiences with often difficult and complex topics. In this theme, we want to hear about your methods of conservation storytelling about:
- complex topics such as climate change, palm oil, managed euthanasia or illegal wildlife trade
- making conservation issues relevant to visitors’ own lives and experiences
- inspiring people to take action locally that can make a difference globally
- how to highlight the ‘less charismatic’ species in our collections
- the work that EAZA zoos and aquariums do such as managed breeding programmes, record keeping, organisational culture, sustainable procurement
- how to bring hope and optimism into our conservation stories … and make a sustainable future for all a ‘Mission Possible’
5. ‘Whole zoo’ conservation education
Conservation education has traditionally been a job as educators and the zoo’s education department, but that is changing. Every person who works in a zoo and aquarium has the potential to connect with our audiences and be a conservation educator! We want to hear about conservation programmes that involve the wider zoo staff from keepers to cleaners. How have you have built opportunities, skills and confidence in other zoo staff to support a whole zoo approach to conservation education.
6. Measuring the effects of conservation education in EAZA zoos and aquariums
In this theme we are looking for examples of how you have designed social research and evaluation tools, collected data and evidence or measured the changes and effects in your audiences because of your conservation education programmes.
7. Celebrating the successes of the EAZA Silent Forest Campaign
This theme is a chance for you to show case what activities, events and evaluations your zoo or aquarium has undertaken as part of the current EAZA Conservation campaign. What lessons have your learnt, what didn’t go quite how you expected, did you work with an unusual audience and what tips would you give other zoos on how to make the most of this campaign for the rest of 2019
8. … and now for something completely different!
Have you got an idea for innovative talk that doesn’t fit in to any of our conference themes – then submit it to this ‘wildcard’ theme!
The EAZA Education Conference is supported by the European Union LIFE NGO funding programme. The European Union is not responsible for the views displayed in publications and/or in conjunction with the activities for which the grant is used.