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The 25th Anniversary RCJ General Assembly and Workshop was held in Tokyo, Japan, on 1 August 2015. Total 31 participants including Prof. Gea-Jae Joo from Korea joined the gathering. Prof. Ando (RCJ President), Prof. Isozaki (RCJ Vice President), and Prof. Iwama (RCJ Vice President) made commemorative presentations, and Prof.Joo, representing RCJ international members, delivered a hearty presentation using a lot of photographs.
RCJ also received many congratulatory messages from RCJ Asian members as shown below. Thank you very much. - Amado Tolentino (Philippines) We met for a purpose and we became BEST FRIENDS FOREVER FOR WETLANDS (BFFW). Mabuhay RCJ25 ! ! ! - Ajit K. Pattnaik (India) Congratulations. It is great to learn that RCJ would be completing 25 glorious year and the “ Silver Jubilee” of RCJ is going to be celebrated on 1st August 2015. As a part of the RCJ family I feel extremely proud. I would also like to sincerely thank and express my gratitude to all the pioneers who contributed significantly in not only constituting but to bring RCJ to this level. RCJ is evolved in to a matured and international organization and contributed significantly in conservation of wetlands. I wish I should have been a part of this great celebration but alas, it would not be possible as I would be at Accaa, Ghana in connection with a project meeting. Please convey my best wishes to all members who would be at Tokyo on 1st August 2015 to witness this great “Silver Jubilee” celebration. - Sansanee Choowaew (Thailand) In 1993, 22 years ago, when I started working full-time on 'wetlands' and attended Ramsar COP5 in Otsu/Kushiro, I first met with Reiko-san and many new friends, and presumed that I have become a member of RCJ gangs, ever since. RCJ, for me, is a big family, full of warmth, friendship, understanding, happiness and joy, sharing the same interest and concern about the present and future of 'wetlands', and joining hands working closely together in several aspects and activities in order to help save 'wetlands' in countries in Asia and everywhere. Amazing/wonderful/great RCJ! Thank you, I am so proud to be with you. Happy 25th anniversary RCJ annual assembly ! Still a lot to do ! Carry on, RCJ ! Cheers & Kampai, From a lifetime member of RCJ gang, - Rebecca D' Cruz (Malaysia) Congratulations to all the RCJ gang on your 25th Birthday! I have followed RCJ's work for almost 20 years, and have had the pleasure and privilege to work with RCJ on some of their projects, events and meetings. Through the last 25 years RCJ has made a significant contribution to wetland conservation in Asia in terms of raising awareness about the importance of wetlands. The Asian Wetland Symposium, the brainchild of the RCJ, stands as the premier platform for people to gather to discuss and to find solutions for issues that wetlands face every day. In my opinion, RCJ's biggest contribution has been in educating the younger generation. No other organization has done as much as RCJ to connect the young people of Asia with each other, and to expose young people to what's happening in the world and to give them a voice at global events such as at the Ramsar COPs. I salute the RCJ gang for your passion, your commitment, your hard work, your enthusiasm and most of all, for truly being an inspiration to all of us who have devoted our lives to ensuring that the wetlands of Asia continue to serve Asians for many generations to come. I wish you every success for the coming years. Regards and Best Wishes, - Message from Bangladesh POUSH Our journey with Ramsar Center Japan started on 1992 with the First Asian Symposium on Wetland. Since then RCJ has been contributed in the conservation of natural resources specifically wetland conservation, mangrove restoration and environmental education in Bangladesh. Today greenery of the Moheshkhali Island is an example of RCJ’s contribution to Bangladesh, the land of rivers. We thank all our colleagues of RCJ for their contribution. Bangladesh POUSH is a pound as a partner of that Wetland conservation leader; we trust that the friendship of Bangladesh POUSH and RCJ will continue to keep the wetland wellbeing of the world. We also are wishing a very successful journey of the expert network facilitated by the RCJ and hoping that the scope exchanging learning between the experts and actors will contribute to the wetland ecosystem to serve to the balance of the global wellbeing in the time of climate change and very rapid urbanization. We are in the same journey! Best wishes!! - Desh Bandhu (India) This is great and Congratulations for completing the journey of 25 years. We are group of 14 students/teachers/scientists from India in Los Angles. I tried to contact my travel agent to change the return flight via Tokyo but it is very difficult. I wish we have joined you at this celebration and hope we will have party of Silver Jubilee of RCJ journey which has contributed to the Wetlands and conservation. Today RCJ is well known and great efforts made by you. Congratulations and have wonderful event. With regards, - Chen Kelin (China) Congratulations to RCJ assembly 25th years! First of all, let me send my best regards to everybody of RCJ family since I was become a member of RCJ about 20 years ago. I recall a lot of activities had been happened in the past, the Asian Wetlands Symposium has already been our symbolization and BRAND which are important events not only for Asian Countries, but also for RAMSAR globally. As member of RCJ I am very proud I have a lot of good friends within the family although we are all from different countries with different cultures. Indeed I learned a lot and share experiences with you and all friends. Once again, Please accept my sincerely wishes to RCJ's 25th meeting annual assembly will be successful. Regards, - Mashhor Mansor (Malaysia) I still vividly remember the Asian Wetland Symposium 2001, 27 - 30 august, in Penang, Malaysia. This was one of the bests ASIAN WETLAND SYMPOSIUM which was run by USM with a strong cooperation from RAMSAR japan. With 1116 text pages, it canbe regarded as a strong academic endeavor in the field of wetland studies. I'll continue to render support to RAMSAR Japan. The 22 Universities network in Lower Mekong have again provide a platform for further cooperation. Wetland as a natural supermarket could highlight its importance and playing a crucial role in a rural societies. The commitments of our team are highly appreciated. I am looking forward to join the group in Chilika Lake. - Taej Mundkur, Programme Manager-Flyways, Wetlands International (Netherlands) 25 glorious years of selfless work and dedication by you and everyone you touch with your drive, enthusiasm and energy for conservation of our environment and ourselves. It has been a great pleasure to have been able to join in this wonderful movement. Looking forward to the next 25 years of great achievements and much more. With best wishes. - Bernard O’Callaghan (Australia) Twenty five years.. How Wonderful. Well done to all Secretary-General, past-Presidents, all the volunteers and members of RCJ ! It is nice to be part of a team that makes a difference. The RJC has made a difference over the years ! It has been inspirational to be part of this energetic group. Promoting awareness of wetlands - from some of the biggest cities in the world such as Japan , through to the populated wetlands in Bangladesh, and throughout Asia - Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, China, and onwards, the impact of RCJ can be seen.. Well done Reiko, the active RCJ team in Japan and all the international members of RCJ. Look forward to working with you all for another 25 years ! - Kamal Rai (Nepal) Heartily Greeting and Congratulation for Successful of the General Assembly! as a member from Nepal. I really wish to continue work with you and RCJ. I will look up a wide and happy road map for future for restoration, conservation and education in the respective field. It was great opportunity for me to explore my thoughts, idea and wisdom via RCJ. I really dedicate and devoting my life for conservation and CEPA in Nepalese society to protect and promote wetland and its associate traditional knowledge, practices, folklore, culture, religious and spiritual values for biodiversity conservation. I will be continue and will look future with you all Thanks with regards. - Bishnu Bhandari (Nepal) Amazing and amusing to know that we (RCJ) are already 25 years old. I wish I were there to exchange words of greetings and cordiality directly with each of us at the ceremony.This is just not possible as I am 5,100 km away from our head quarter. The past 25 years have been full of exciting feeling, learning, experiencing, and sharing and caring one another in conservation, management and sustainable development of wetalnd ecosystems in the Asia-Pacific. Just as wetlands are diverse in nature, so are the RCJ members in their backgrounds and characteristics. The dynamic interaction of its diversity and their heterogeneity gave birth to the concept "For Conservation and Wise Use of Wetlands", which is the motto of Ramsar Center. Seven AWS's, Kodomo Ramsar, exchange of students and bringing together regional wetlands leaders are the testimonies of RCJ's achievements and successes. It may be no exaggeration to say that RCJ is the only wetland organization that brings three generations (elderly like me, vibrant youth and promising children like.) together in a single platform to discus, debate and delve into wetlands in the Asia-Pacific. Last but not least, putting our experience and learning together, let us, once again, put our hearts and soul together for a better livelihood of wetland-dependent people in the world in general and Asia-Pacific in particular. Once again, Congratulation! Congratulation !! Congratulation !!! |