GAME RESERVE, lodge and wildlife tour operators will have the opportunity to meet many of the world’s top wildlife, business and political leaders during the 7th World Wilderness Congress, to be held in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, from November 2 to 8. Delegates who have confirmed attendance at the congress include all the heads of South African wildlife agencies, Parks Board officials from neighbouring states, representatives from the United States Parks and Forestry organisations, international financiers of the calibre of Edmund de Rothschild, the World Bank, corporate heads and government delegations, says World Wilderness Congress (WWC) executive director Andrew Muir. “This is a unique opportunity for everyone in both the business and conservation of wildlife to meet with many of the world’s top conservation leaders,” he says. This networking will, he believes, open the doors to further opportunities for lodges, private and provincial reserves, safari guides and tourism operators. “All business is about networking. The 7th World Wilderness Congress will bring to Port Elizabeth the people who make decisions about the sale of rare species like rhino and the allocation of funding,” he says. “Just as important to meeting the right people, delegates to the congress will learn about the latest international trends in conservation. We believe that these lessons can be applied profitably and successfully in wilderness areas around the world. “Where else will you have the world’s top authorities on the rhino, the elephant, the cheetah and a host of other species all under the same roof at the same time?” he says. The theme of the 7th World Wilderness Congress (WWC) is “Wilderness and Human Communities: The Spirit of the 21st Century”. It is being organised by the Wilderness Foundation of South Africa and the US-based WILD Foundation. The congress starts with a two-day “Wilderness Summit,” followed by a day of field trips, and then “Wilderness Working Sessions” (plenary, technical, and training), which will convene for four days. Speakers will include Colombian ethnologist and leader in efforts to support communities and to protect the biodiversity of Amazon rain forests, Martin von Hildebrand, US conservation biologist Michael Soulé, Indian ecologist Vandana Shiva, Kenyan ecological pioneer Wangari Maathai, WWC founder Ian Player, Mohamed T. El-Ashry, the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the World Bank’s Global Environment Facility (GEF), and M. A. Partha Sarathy, Board of Trustees, WWF (India); Founder/Chairman, World Wilderness Trust (India). “That is just a taste of the calibre of speaker who will be at the Congress, and who have attracted more than 250 delegates from around the world. “We will be dealing with both the philosophical and the practical aspects of preserving our natural heritage while creating a better life for all of us. “Everyone is directly affected by the care we take of our environment. It is felt in the quality of our water, our air, the food we eat and the places we go to relax. “The 7th World Wilderness Congress is truly a meeting of the minds in preparation for next year’s Earth Summit in Gauteng,” says Muir. “But, I must sound a word of warning. Seating is limited to 800 delegates, and anyone who wants to attend the Congress should sign up now,” he adds. More details on the 7th World Wilderness Congress are available from the Wilderness Foundation in Durban, South Africa (27-31) 4622808, or on the congress website at www.worldwilderness.org