Amman, June 3 (Petra) -- Under the patronage of Her Royal Highness Princess Alia Bint Al Hussein, a regional workshop entitled "Promoting Positive Community Behavior to Reduce Demand for Wildlife and Birds in the Middle East" launched Wednesday in Amman, bringing together representatives of governments, national, regional, and international environmental organizations, as well as experts in nature conservation from across the region.

In her opening remarks, Her Royal Highness Princess Alia bint Al Hussein emphasized the importance of promoting positive societal attitudes and behaviors towards the conservation of nature and wildlife, noting that a deep appreciation for nature is firmly embedded in Arab culture and traditions.

Princess Alia highlighted the vital role of awareness-raising, education, and the encouragement of positive behaviors, particularly among children and young people, empowering them to share knowledge with their peers and families. She noted that such efforts contribute to building an informed and environmentally conscious society that recognizes the consequences of losing any component of the natural world and understands the importance of safeguarding natural resources for future generations.

Princess Alia also stressed the importance of convening regional workshops that bring together participants from across the Arab world to exchange expertise and knowledge, and to discuss shared challenges and potential solutions. She noted that such collaboration contributes significantly to strengthening wildlife conservation efforts and securing safe migratory routes for birds as they travel across countries and regions along one of the world’s most important flyways.

The workshop is organized by BirdLife International – Middle East and the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), in cooperation with the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN), the Princess Alia Foundation and the Jordanian Ministry of Environment. It is supported by the Safe Flyways for Migratory Birds Project 3: Reducing Illegal Killing of Birds, which is being implemented in Lebanon, Syria, Palestine and other Mediterranean countries.

The event aims to introduce behavioral change principles and approaches drawn from the social sciences, while enhancing understanding of the behavioral, social, economic and cultural factors associated with the illegal killing, taking and trade of birds in the Middle East. It also seeks to support the development of evidence-based solutions and future initiatives to reduce demand for wildlife and birds, while strengthening regional cooperation among governments, civil society organisations, experts and international partners to protect migratory birds and biodiversity across the region.

In his opening remarks, Ibrahim Khader, Regional Director of BirdLife International – Middle East, highlighted BirdLife’s pivotal role, through its national partners worldwide, in placing illegal bird killing on the agenda of international agreements and forums, supporting independent monitoring efforts, and generating the scientific evidence needed to inform government policies and decision-making.

He noted that the workshop comes at a time when global assessments continue to highlight unsustainable human activities and behaviors as major drivers of biodiversity loss, while also recognizing that positive behavior change can play a critical role in addressing these challenges. He added that in the Middle East, one of the world’s most important migratory bird flyways, illegal and unsustainable killing, taking and trade continue to threaten many migratory and resident bird species, including species of global conservation concern Khader stressed that meaningful progress in addressing these challenges requires moving beyond a sole reliance on legislation and law enforcement towards a deeper understanding of the social, economic and cultural factors that drive demand for birds and wildlife.

Abdul Razzaq Hamoud, Director of Protection and Sustainable Hunting at the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN), affirmed that Jordan has prioritised nature conservation since the establishment of the Kingdom through promoting public awareness and strengthening partnerships between national institutions and civil society organisations.

He added that the Society continues to implement conservation programs and promote sustainable hunting practices in support of biodiversity conservation, while actively supporting national and regional efforts aimed at protecting nature and wildlife.

Hamoud further highlighted that the challenges arising from instability in the region have contributed to an increase in illegal hunting and wildlife trafficking. He stressed that the Society is working closely with a range of partners to develop and deliver accurate awareness and information campaigns that promote positive behaviors in support of nature conservation and the sustainable management of natural resources.

Akram Darwish, Regional Director of the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), emphasised that one of the key reasons that has driven the Fund to focus on changing social perceptions and behaviors around the world is the significant impact they have on the sustainability and survival of wildlife and its diverse components.

Achieving meaningful change requires strong coordination, the exchange of expertise and research findings, and close collaboration among all relevant stakeholders within each country, including both governmental and non-governmental entities. Such cooperation can play a vital role in transforming attitudes and behaviors that have historically had negative impacts on wildlife and the ecosystems upon which it depends.

Hani Shaer, the Regional Director of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) – West Asia Regional Office, emphasized that Lasting conservation impact begins with understanding people, influencing behavior, and empowering communities to become champions of nature.

Bilal Qteishat, Director of the Nature Protection Directorate at the Ministry of Environment, emphasized that the Ministry considers behavior change to be one of the key pillars of biodiversity conservation and habitat protection. He stressed that local communities are the primary partners in safeguarding and ensuring the sustainability of biodiversity components.

Through national programs and in partnership with national and international civil society organizations, the Ministry seeks to promote behavior change by delivering targeted awareness and guidance messages that encourage positive environmental practices and support conservation efforts.

The workshop is the second of its kind at the regional level and builds on the outcomes of the first regional workshop held in Jordan in 2024, which highlighted the need to strengthen regional cooperation and develop innovative tools to address the underlying causes and motivations behind the illegal killing, taking and trade of birds.

Recent estimates indicate that approximately 25 million birds are illegally killed, trapped or poisoned every year across the Mediterranean region, ranging from the smallest songbirds to the largest birds of prey.

The Killing 3.0 report the most comprehensive independent assessment of illegal bird killing in the region recorded an estimated 20 per cent decline in illegal bird killing levels compared with previous assessments. However, progress remains uneven across countries, and high levels of illegal bird killing in a single country can undermine conservation gains achieved elsewhere along migratory flyways. This underscores the importance of regional cooperation, sustained investment and long-term political commitment to secure lasting results.

Throughout the workshop, participants will explore how behavioral change approaches can be applied to reduce demand for wildlife and birds in the Middle East. Discussions will focus on behavioral change concepts and tools, as well as the social, economic and cultural factors driving the illegal killing, taking and trade of birds.

Sessions will also examine the role of traditions and social norms, sustainable livelihood alternatives, communication, awareness-raising and education in promoting positive attitudes and behaviors towards birds and wildlife. Participants will further discuss opportunities and challenges for regional and international cooperation in addressing these issues.

The workshop will additionally explore current and emerging trends in the bird trade across the region, as well as the role of technology and digital platforms in influencing demand for wildlife. Discussions will also address future priorities for integrating behavioral change approaches into bird conservation projects and initiatives.

The workshop is expected to produce a set of practical recommendations and initiatives aimed at reducing demand for illegal activities involving birds and wildlife, while strengthening regional cooperation and supporting biodiversity conservation efforts across the Middle East.

//Petra// AJ