IUCN CEC Journey at 2025 World Conservation Congress
The IUCN Commission on Education and Communication (IUCN CEC) will be strongly represented at the 2025 IUCN World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi, October 9-15, 2025.
To amplify the Commission’s presence and impact, we’ve curated a selection of key motions and inspiring events that highlight the vital role of education and communication in achieving conservation goals.
The heart of IUCN CEC's presence at Congress will be the Nature-based Education Pavilion. Events at the Pavilion are included in the curated list below.
Motions elevating education and communication
View all Motions proposed for the 2025 IUCN World Conservation Congress
- 049 Strengthening safe civic spaces to fulfil the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework
- 051 Mainstreaming gender equality in biodiversity policies, programmes, actions and funding
- 052 Crimes that Affect the Environment
- 058 Addressing wildlife trafficking and the seizure of live wild animals through care, awareness-raising, and training
- 067 Living in harmony with rivers through the rights of nature and ecocentric law
- 090 Developing knowledge of biodiversity issues among the media and general journalists
- 094 Recognising the importance of Indigenous languages, knowledge and cultural heritage in biodiversity conservation
- 097 Mainstreaming mentorship for young ecological stewards to enhance conservation efforts
- 101 Organisation of a Global Youth Summit prior to each IUCN World Conservation Congress
- 102 The role of rangers as essential planetary health workers in particular to achieve the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework
- 105 Recognise and support community stewardship of natural resources through dedicated funding
- 106 Promotion of social inclusion and universal accessibility in IUCN practices and in the management of natural areas, parks and green spaces
- 107 Scaling-up Indigenous leadership in the protection of biodiversity and the sacred
- 120 Archiving Resolutions and Recommendations and making IUCN policy more accessible
- 123 Accelerating equitable youth empowerment across the Union
- 126 Advancing Citizen Science to Support and Democratize Conservation
- 128 Strengthening human-nature connectedness to advance transformative change for nature
Events of Interest
Below is a curated list of events that elevate the power of education and communication to reach our shared conservation goals. Events across the Congress and Pavilions are included, as is the program of events at the 🌱Nature-based Education Pavilion.
See the full program at the 🌱Nature-based Education Pavilion
Wednesday October 8
Youth Powering Transformative Conservation | Youth Summit
11:00 - 17:00
Taking place the day before the Congress officially opens, the Youth Summit is the flagship gathering for young voices aged 18 to 35. It offers a vibrant, inclusive space for inspiration, connection, and action, and will put youth voices at the forefront of conservation.
Thursday October 9
Congress Opening Ceremonies
9:00 -11:00 ICC Hall
🌱CEC Members Gathering - Congress Connections
14:00 - 14:45 Nature-based Education Pavilion
🌱Global Insights from the IUCN Task Force on Nature-based Education
15:00 - 15:45 Nature-based Education Pavilion
Youth Development in the Green Jobs Sector
15:00 - 15:45 Youth Pavilion
Reconsidering relationships in more than human worlds: Indigenous, scientific & other storytellings
15:00 - 15:45 Reimagining Pavilion
🌱The 2040 Challenge: Designing the Next 15 Years of Resilient Conservation
16:00 - 16:45 Nature-based Education Pavilion
Unlocking the power of human behaviour to save nature
16:00 - 16:45 Learning Zone
Youth Artivism: Empowering Creative Voices for Nature
16:00 - 16:45 Youth Pavilion
Illegal Trade in Endangered Plants
16:00 - 16:45 All-Commissions Knowledge Hub
Exploring the world’s protected areas though sound
17:00 - 18:00 Youth Pavilion
🌱Aligning the UNESCO led Greening Education Partnership with Nature-Based Education vision
17:00 - 18:00 Nature-based Education Pavilion
🌱Strengthening human-nature connectedness to advance transformative change for nature
18:00 - 19:00 Nature-based Education Pavilion
Maximising impact through storytelling
18:00 - 19:00 BBC Media Action Pavilion
Friday October 10
🌱Nature Based Education Geoportal, inspiring the global movement for positive change in nature-based education
11:00 - 12:00 Nature-based Education Pavilion
Oceans of Opportunity: Technology and youth driving marine conservation
11:00 - 11:30 Forum - Arena
11:00 - 12:00 Virtual
Oceans Spotlight: Showcasing youth initiatives in marine conservation
11:00 - 12:00 Canada Pavilion
🌱Universal language of the wilderness. A lesson to learn about protected areas
12:00 - 13:00 Nature-based Education Pavilion
A Guide to Nature-based Leadership: An ecological approach
12:30 - 13:10 Learning Zone - Publications Hub
🌱Education Responses to the Planetary Crisis
13:00 - 14:00 Nature-based Education Pavilion
Reel Impact: Inspiring Conservation through Stories of Resilience and Innovation
14:00 - 15:30 Forum - Session Room 6
Nature For All: Sensory science for diverse learners
14:00 - 16:00 Forum - Learning Zone
🌱Partnering for Impact on Nature-based Education
15:00 - 16:00 Nature-based Education Pavilion
Creating effective environmental communications strategies: A new Guide for practitioners
16:00 - 17:00 All-Commissions Knowledge Hub
🌱Conservation Education in Africa: Navigating African conservation landscapes
16:00 - 17:00 Nature-based Education Pavilion
🌱From Learning to Leadership: Young Professionals Experiences Driving Change in Conservation
17:00 - 18:00 Nature-based Education Pavilion
🌱Nature-based Education: Learning to Live as Nature
18:00 - 19:00 Nature-based Education Pavilion
🌱Seeds of Change: Celebrating Nature-based Education Heroes Networking Reception (with catering)
19:00 - 21:00 Nature-based Education Pavilion
Reimagined Already: storytelling session (with catering)
20:00 - 21:00 Reimagining Pavilion
Saturday October 11
From Classroom to Congress: Engaging Youth in International Environmental Policy-Making
8:30 - 10:30 Forum - Session Room 8
Communications for Conservation Acton: Advancing effective communications for conservation impact
10:30 - 12:00 Forum - Programme Pavilion Room 1
🌱Transforming school infrastructure to nurture happy, healthy, resilient children deeply connected with nature
11:00 - 12:00 Nature-based Education Pavilion
The Critical Role for Arts and Culture in Conservation and Abundant Futures
11:00 - 12:30 Virtual
🌱Speed dating: Two minutes to get people to fall in love with your protected area
12:00 - 13:00 Nature-based Education Pavilion
🌱Playing games to raise serious questions. Practical examples of interactive methods in environmental education
13:00 - 14:00 Nature-based Education Pavilion
🌱Partnerships for Conservation: Business, NGOs, and protected areas working side by side for conservation
14:00 - 15:00 Nature-based Education Pavilion
Working together to build a powerful global plan of action for education on biodiversity
14:00 - 14:40 Forum - Conference Hall B - Session Room 8
Nature’s Return: A Social Game to Reconnect with Nature
14:00 - 14:40 Forum - Session Room 11
🌱Engaging Communities for the Future of Wildlife
15:00 - 16:00 Nature-based Education Pavilion
🌱Activating Green Spaces Through Self-Guided Learning: The PEEP Model in Action
16:00 - 17:00 Nature-based Education Pavilion
Strengthening human-nature connectedness to advance transformative change for nature
16:00 - 17:00 Youth Pavilion
30x30 Youth Vision: Advancing Target 3 through Gen Z
16:00 - 17:00 Asia Pavilion
CheetahTV - Making a Beautiful Future for Cheetahs: Art and Conservation in Action
16:30 - 17:30 Virtual
Bridging Science and Story: Turning Data into Impactful Narratives
16:30 - 18:30 Forum - Session Room 10
🌱Listening to the Future: Child-Led Education and Action for Nature
17:00 - 18:00 Nature-based Education Pavilion
🌱Greening Communities in Action: Nature-based Education case studies from GEP Pillar 4
18:00 - 19:00 Nature-based Education Pavilion
🌱Reimagining Education in Times of Crisis: Youth Pathways for Justice, Culture, and Biodiversity
19:00 - 20:00 Nature-based Education Pavilion
🌱IUCN’s Vision for Nature-based Education: Celebration Reception (with catering)
20:00 - 21:00 Nature-based Education Pavilion
Green Film Network Awards and Film Screening (with Reception)
16:30 - 18:30 All-Commissions Knowledge Hub
Sunday October 12
Saberes en diálogo: Nuevas pedagogías ambientales con enfoque interseccional
8:30 - 10:30
Forum - Session Room 11
🌱Exploring the collective power of Nature-based Education in Zoos, Aquaria, Botanic Gardens, and Museums
11:00 - 12:00 Nature-based Education Pavilion
Protecting Nature using Geospatial AI, Analysis and Storytelling
11:00 - 12:00
Nature Positive Initiative
Ten Steps to Greening School Grounds: A Global Framework for Municipalities and Organizations
11:30 - 12:10
Learning Zone Pavilion: Publications Hub
🌱Inspiring Conservation Action in Communities through Nature-based Education
12:00 - 13:00 Nature-based Education Pavilion
🌱Reaching out: Nature-based Education within ex situ and in situ collaborations
13:00 - 14:00
Nature-based Education Pavilion
🌱From Nature-based Education initiatives to global conservation targets
14:00 - 15:00
Nature-based Education Pavilion
Cultivating Conservation Mindsets through Nature-Based Education
14:30 - 15:10 Forum - Session Room 11
🌱Moving audiences to conservation action: behaviour change through ex situ and civil society organizations
15:00 - 16:00 Nature-based Education Pavilion
15:00 - 15:10 Virtual
🌱Inclusive and authentic conservation storytelling
17:30 - 18:30 Nature-based Education Pavilion
17:30 - 18:00 BBC Media Action
🌱#NatureForAll Reception hosted by Protected Areas Embassy (with catering)
19:00 - 21:00 Nature-based Education Pavilion
Monday October 13
Communications for Conservation Action: advancing effective communications for conservation impact
10:30 - 12:00 IUCN Programme Pavilion
Citizen science: Ordinary people saving the world with data!
11:00 - 12:00 All-Commissions Knowledge Hub
🌱Young Reporters for the Environment: Youth-led storytelling for conservation
11:00 - 12:00 Nature-based Education Pavilion
Conservation Tools and Resources: Sounds of your park
11:00 - 12:00 Canada Pavilion
🌱Forest Literacy for Planetary Health
12:00 - 13:00 Nature-based Education Pavilion
Film’s role in species recovery collaborations
12:00 - 13:00 Reverse the Red Pavilion
🌱Growing Futures: UAE and Global Children Reimagining Education for Biodiversity
13:00 - 14:00 Nature-based Education Pavilion
🌱WEEC No Limits to Hope and 13th WEEC 2026
14:00 - 15:00 Nature-based Education Pavilion
Human-nature connectedness for transformative change
14:00 - 15:00 Africa Pavilion
Inter-generational Dialogue on Transformative Storytelling: The Case of Harrat Uwayrid Biosphere Reserve
14:00 - 15:00 IUCN Arabia Pavilion
🌱Creative Action for Conservation: Empowering Young Changemakers
15:00 - 16:00 Nature-based Education Pavilion
Celebration and closing of the Reimagining Conservation Pavilion
15:00 - 16:00 Reimagining Conservation Pavilion
🌱How youth and senior leaders can co-create shared conservation leadership in Africa
16:00 - 17:00 Nature-based Education Pavilion
Coordinating and scaling up action for nature and people: The IPBES Nexus Assessment
16:00 - 17:00 IUCN Programme Pavilion
🌱Nature-based Education teacher training, indigenous knowledge, and higher education
17:00 - 18:00
Nature-based Education Pavilion
Tuesday October 14 and Wednesday October 15
Please refer to the IUCN Congress Documents for an official agenda of the Members’ Assembly
Disclaimer
Opinions expressed in posts featured on any Crossroads or other blogs are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of IUCN or a consensus of its Member organisations.