🌎 PRESS RELEASE | COLOMBIA TO HOST THE REGIONAL CELEBRATION 2025! 🎉

On October 17, 2025, from Colombia to the entire region, the Celebration will bring together hundreds of voices, territories, and experiences in defense of Latin America and the Caribbean’s protected and conserved areas.

Colombia’s National Natural Parks will be the official host of this edition, reaffirming their commitment to a Celebration that highlights the value of our areas, their communities, and the major challenges they face. The main event will be hybrid, with in-person participation in Colombia and regional connection from multiple territories.

The Celebration is an open, equitable, diverse, and collaborative movement that, since 2020, has mobilized thousands of people around effective conservation, recognizing the cultural, environmental, and social value of protected areas and other conservation modalities.

🌿 How can you join?👣 Step by step:

1. Explore what is important to conserve in your territory and identify your priority areas to celebrate. Involve all sectors, especially local communities.

2. Organize your own celebration or align your ongoing project with our thematic categories. You can access inspiring materials and examples on our website.

3. Get trained and connect with ambassadorial leaders who inspire you. Join the zonal Pre-Celebrations to strengthen your initiative.

4. Register your celebration in the roadmap. You’ll receive support, visibility, and a special invitation to the October 17 event, with Colombia as host country.

📍 Since 2020, the Celebration has achieved:

✅ Over 8,600 people mobilized annually, with women in the majority of leadership roles.

✅ 178 protected and conserved areas recognized through 195 active celebrations.

✅ 45 certified ambassadors each year, with gender parity.

✅ Participation in regional and global spaces such as COP16, the IUCN Forum, and the Nature Contributions Platform.

These collective actions already represent:

🌿 0.6% of the global biodiversity conservation potential.🌿 0.4% of the potential for emissions reduction.🌿 0.2% of the restoration potential.

🌟 We work alongside Fundación Bosques Nativos Argentinos and a network of over 20 partner institutions at the regional and global level. Since 2024, we’ve been part of IUCN, and our actions are integrated into its platforms and commissions. Collaboration, equity, and win-win partnerships are our pillars.

🔔 2025 UPDATES

1️⃣ Colombia: official host of the regional eventColombia’s National Natural Parks will officially host the hybrid event on October 17. From their headquarters, the Day of Protected and Conserved Areas will be broadcast across Latin America and the Caribbean, featuring keynote sessions, territorial voices, and diverse programming.

“Throughout the process, we will support the organization of both in-person and virtual events to make this a memorable Celebration that highlights the value of Latin America and the Caribbean’s protected areas and the major challenges they face.” — Luisz Olmedo Martínez Zamora, Director General, Colombia’s National Natural Parks.

2️⃣ Zonal Pre-Celebrations: registration now openRegistration is open to participate in zonal workshops (August). These aim to connect ambassadors, local communities, key projects, and institutions in each subregion to co-create celebrations or strengthen ongoing processes within this initiative. More info and pre-registration: Pre-Celebrations

3️⃣ Impact partnerships: call for sponsorsTo ensure that trainings, zonal workshops, ambassador selection and support, communications campaigns, and the October 17 hybrid event are open, public, and free, we need support in strategic roles and spaces through endorsements and sponsorships.

We are seeking organizations, companies, and individuals committed to the environment, well-being, and human rights to support:

• Open training sessions on conservation, protected areas, and collaboration.

• Territorial-focused Pre-Celebrations, with translation and intercultural facilitation.

• Support for ambassador guardians and seeds (accessibility, visibility, empowerment).

• Development of key sessions during the regional event and campaigns via our networks and allies.

📌 What do you gain as a sponsor?

• Strategic positioning in conservation and sustainability.

• Access to key audiences across Latin America and the Caribbean.

• Impact metrics for reports and strategic projects.

• Visibility and collaboration with international organizations like IUCN and the European Union, as well as with women and youth in conservation, park rangers, environmental educators, Indigenous communities, governments, and protected area systems—and more!

4️⃣ 2025 Guardians and Seed Ambassadors confirmedThe list of 2025 Seed Ambassadors is now available. These are guardians who lead local and regional processes and support diverse celebrations. Meet them here: Ambassadors

We are also working with national protected area systems to connect government managers with ambassadors, aligning celebrations with each territory’s priorities.

5️⃣ Active thematic campaigns 📲Since March, we’ve been launching digital campaigns to amplify diverse voices. We began with “Women for Areas of Well-being,” and are adding others focused on youth, Indigenous peoples, government, and business actors. More info: Women for the Areas

In a region with urgent challenges and unique socio-environmental richness, the Celebration is a real opportunity for collective action. If you’re part of a community, institution, project, company, or simply want to contribute in your role—this is your moment!

👉 Join us at www.celebracionareasprotegidas.org

📬 Write to info@celebracionareasprotegidas.org to become a sponsor, lead a celebration, or join learning and action networks.

Let’s celebrate our areas and their people. Let’s celebrate the well-being of Latin America and the Caribbean. 🌎💚