A meeting with the media devoted to wetlands was organised on Friday in Tunis by the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) in North Africa.

Organised in the framework of the celebration of the “World Wetlands Day”, on February 2, 2022, this meeting made it possible to discuss the means of raising awareness on the protection of the environment in general and especially on the preservation of these ecosystems which have become more and more vulnerable in Tunisia, although they are “vital” and “indispensable” for man and nature.

Several speakers mentioned the need to target the younger generations and also adults, through “intelligent content” and media adapted to the current situation of digitalisation and innovation. Ancestral practices could be rethought and revisited to safeguard and improve the management of water resources, such as “Majels” (reservoirs and tanks) and “Foskias” (fountains)

With regard to wetlands, approaches have been proposed to “empower” and sensitise the populations living in their vicinity, offering them alternatives such as “green jobs” so as not to damage the wealth of these areas.

Member since 1981 of the Ramsar Convention, an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands, Tunisia has about 950 wetlands (including dams), including 42 are of international importance (Ramsar). These areas are home to a rich biodiversity and host nearly 500,000 birds annually.

Source: TAP News Agency