United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and several heads of state emphasized the need for countries to expedite negotiations to support global biodiversity conservation at the 16th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP16) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in Cali, Colombia's third-largest city, on Tuesday.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro highlighted the importance of discussing collective strategies to tackle the challenges posed by climate change and to protect biodiversity.
In light of the alarming loss of biodiversity, COP15 established the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. COP16 is viewed as a pivotal moment for action and implementing the framework's goals.
Guterres warned that the world is in a "war" with nature, a conflict that has no winners, and urged nations to take concrete steps to protect biodiversity and fully realize the framework's commitments.
Under the theme of "Peace with Nature", COP16 is underway in Cali from October 21 to November 1.
Global leaders gather in Colombia to boost biodiversity conservation efforts
Global leaders gather in Colombia to boost biodiversity conservation efforts
Senior representatives from major regional news media organizations, gathering at the ongoing 12th Global Video Media Forum (VMF) in China, say they are looking to amplify the voices of the media in the Global South to help consolidate cooperation and friendship in an ever more challenging global environment.
The forum opened in Quanzhou in east China's Fujian Province on Tuesday, bringing together 200 media representatives from over 60 countries and regions in the historic coastal city.
By working more closely together, media organizations in the Global South can reap rewards that might otherwise be unavailable, according to Ahmed Nadeem, Secretary-General of the Asia-Pacific Broadcast Union.
"If we work together, there is an opportunity for us to bring out the best from these Global South countries who have much less resources," he said.
Other media representatives at the VMF stressed that in challenging times, it is even more important for developing countries to have their voices heard on the global stage.
"[The Global] South media have a lot of responsibility to build a new opinion," said Issoufou Sare, Director-General of BF1 Television.
"[The media can provide] solutions for misunderstandings or stereotypes. So the media have a major role. They can bridge our cultures and make us know each other better," said Feten Fardi, head of Arab and International Cooperation Unit, Arab States Broadcasting Union.
The event also witnessed the launch of the "Global South Media Dialogue and Cooperation Mechanism and Joint Initiative," a program to support closer cooperation led by China Media Group.
"That will help to promote our voices, our realities to make the world know better about our customs, realities, about our history, about our culture, customs, about our problems, but also our achievements," said Martin Hacthoun, chief editor of Press Latina News Agency.
The two-day VMF is being held under the theme "Intelligence Without Frontiers, Vision Beyond The Horizon -- Media's Role in Communication and Cultural Exchange."
Launched by the CCTV Video News Agency (CCTV+) in 2011, the VMF is an annual professional journalism forum focusing on the latest trends and innovations in news and journalism, which provides a highly specialized, unique and interactive platform for domestic and foreign media peers.
Media groups aim to amplify voice of Global South at VMF
