مؤتمرات الحياة الفطرية.. نقلة لسمعة عالمية

Conferences are considered one of the important means and an opportunity for the private sector, semi-governmental entities, and donors to support environmental reform programs and projects, protect, and preserve the environment. Holding global conferences represents a clear message and a platform to reflect efforts and fieldwork, as conferences carry global and international significance, becoming a driving force, supporter, and a cornerstone for programs and projects. Conferences at the United Nations are known as "meeting industry," which is a specialized activity that provides supportive services to governments, companies, and organizations. The returns of the meeting industry reflect the state and interest according to the concept for which the conference was held in its scientific, economic, and environmental pursuits.

International conferences and gatherings have a special long-term importance in the making of international decisions, and countries incur enormous losses if they refrain from holding conferences that meet their scientific, environmental, and economic needs, serving as a platform for professionals working in government sectors, private sectors, investors, traders, professional, scientific, and medical associations, and academic institutions. It is noteworthy that the lack of specialized conferences leads to a few professionals in those sectors traveling to other countries to attend conferences that enable them to acquire new knowledge in their field of work, thus incurring costs on the overall economy due to travel to other countries for conferences, where these travelers spend billions on tourism services in other countries to attend those events.

Conferences play a pivotal role in bringing experts together, localizing knowledge, and equipping national competencies with new sciences, experiences, and developed professional practices. Conferences are a distinguished means of exchanging information, developing the capabilities of individuals working in all economic sectors, and also an effective means of cultural exchange, highlighting civilizations, and reviving heritage. There is certainly a significant cultural impact of conferences in the long term. Conferences provide a fertile environment for community contribution, through the work of young volunteers in organizing conferences, and the participation of productive families in presenting their products as gifts to guests, providing an opportunity for tourism marketing and additional income for the nation. Furthermore, conferences can influence community behavior in the long term and enhance awareness on specialized topics. They can also contribute to the development of social capital and community cohesion through communication processes that occur in conferences, training efforts, lectures, workshops, experience exchanges, and visits to reserves and archaeological sites, which reveal the Kingdom's readiness for all means of development, global competition, and support for all international, regional, and global efforts.

The National Center for Wildlife Development has excelled; during the year 2024, it presented significant efforts, numerous activities, and international gatherings covering all fields and environmental sciences from all countries and environmental institutions worldwide, with a strong presence of international environmental organizations and scientists specializing in all natural fields through the "Hima" nature reserves forum and the "Regional Conference of the International Union for Conservation of Nature." These activities and efforts were fruitful in their content and accelerated many procedures such as registering reserves in the green lists and in UNESCO's global heritage organizations. This is evidence of the significant impact and effect of conferences and the world's appreciation for them and their role in promoting the developmental renaissance of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and supporting its leadership. The credit, after God Almighty, goes to the directives and support of the leadership represented by the spiritual father of the Saudi environment, the Crown Prince, may God protect him, and the follow-up of His Excellency the Minister of Environment, Water, and Agriculture for those gatherings and organizations, the support of the Board of Directors of the National Center for Wildlife Development, and the great efforts of the CEO of the center, Dr. Mohammed Ali Qurban, and his team, who achieved many gains for wildlife and the environment and the reputation of our dear nation. We look forward to the second "Hima" conference in its new form for a bright global leadership and economic and environmental support, enhancing the reputation of our dear nation.