CEC Awards

CEC Awards celebrate and amplify the expertise of CEC members, inspiring the CEC’s expert volunteer community to advance the mission of the IUCN through the tools of education and communication.

IUCN Commission on Education and Communication (CEC) Awards recognize longstanding commitment to serving CEC. Awards serve to engage and inspire this community of volunteer experts and to elevate the visibility of their contributions. 

Selection is based on nomination and a rigorous evaluation process, and awards are announced during the IUCN’s Regional Conservation Forums (RCFs) or the World Conservation Congress (WCC). Awardees receive support to participate in the RCFs or the WCC, are recognized formally with a certificate from IUCN, and are celebrated across the IUCN CEC website ad social media channels. 

 

CEC Awards are offered within the following categories:

CEC award winners of Europe, IUCN directors and CEC chair CEC award winners of Europe, IUCN directors and CEC chair Photo: Aysegul Cil

CEC Regional Award

Every four years, this award recognizes individuals from CEC’s 12 regions whose longstanding commitment to conservation communication and environmental education has advanced CEC’s mission and goals in their region.

One Awardee from each of CEC’s Regions will be selected. Candidates for this award must be nominated by a CEC Member, a representative of an IUCN Member government or organization, or by an IUCN Secretariat Staff Member. One individual may nominate up to five individuals for this Award. Awardees will be recognized (names, photos, and short bio) on the IUCN website and across CEC social media. 

Nominees will be evaluated on how they have uniquely contributed to IUCN's Nature 2030 Programme through the tools of education and communication, how they have advanced CEC’s mission and goals, tangible outputs produced, and the impact the nominee has had on others. 

Call for Nominations: Open from January 15, 2024 - Deadlines are between 1 and 1.5 months prior to the Regional Conservation Forum dates in the Region of the Nominee. 

Online Nomination Form for CEC Regional Award

Detailed Information Sheet on 2024 CEC Regional Awards


Deadlines: 

  • Mesoamerica: April 1, 2024
  • North Africa, West and Central Africa, Eastern and Southern Africa: May 26, 2024
  • United States: July 20, 2024
  • Canada: September 1, 2024
  • South America: September 14, 2024
  • East Asia, South and Southeast Asia: July 1, 2024
  • West Asia: August 1, 2024
  • Western Europe, Eastern Europe and Central Asia: July 30, 2024
  • Oceania: August 1, 2024

Awardees announced: Prior to Regional Conservation Fora 2024
Online Nomination Form for CEC Regional Award

Read more about the impressive past Awardees from 2020 around the world: 

 

CEC Chairs’ Award

Every four years at the IUCN World Conservation Congress, the Chair of CEC recognizes an exceptional individual’s outstanding impact towards CEC’s mission and goals.

Nominations are made by the Chair and approved by the CEC Steering Committee
Awardees announced: Prior to World Conservation Congress 2025
 

CEC Youth Award

Coordinated by the CEC Steering Committee, this award recognizes individuals under the age of 35 for outstanding work in the conservation education/communication arena. This award is announced every four years at the IUCN’s World Conservation Congress (WCC).

Call for Nominations: Open from August 1, 2024 - April 1, 2025
Awardees announced: Prior to World Conservation Congress 2025