“It is arguably critical for advocates of biocultural diversity to continue to rise to the challenge and strive for concrete steps forward at the international and national levels that can, in turn, support and be influenced by local initiatives for biocultural diversity conservation. Recent developments in international policy indicate that this positive feedback loop has been set in motion. At the beginning of the third decade since the Declaration of Belém, education is one of the key aspects of affirming the multiplicity of values and roles that a biocultural perspective can play. Creating a groundswell of support for biocultural diversity involves in-depth work to educate the public, professionals, policy-makers, and funders about the value of biocultural diversity as the “true web of life” and that sustaining life on earth means sustaining biocultural diversity.” Luisa Maffi

At the editor’s request, Luisa Maffi has contributed an article to the latest issue of Policy Matters (IUCN, Issue 17, October 2010). “Policy for Biocultural Diversity: Where are we now” explores the extensive work that has been done over the past 15 years to implement biocultural diversity into policy.

Policy Matters, Issue 17, Part 2 (.pdf) (Maffi Article – Page 23)

The full publication can be downloaded from the following link: (please note that the site does not yet offer the publication as a whole, but in sections)

http://www.iucn.org/about/union/commissions/ceesp/ceesp_publications/pm/