End of Year Message from the Outgoing President
Friends and fellow falconers,
The end of this year brings an end to my Presidency but it also heralds the start of a new era for the IAF.
It has been my privilege to support this organization for the last 11 years, first as Executive Secretary under President Frank Bond and then as President. This has been an exciting and challenging time for the IAF. Frank realized that, with the growth of our organization and the need to improve and develop the representation of falconry, a Professional Office was required to support the volunteers whose involvement is the real strength of the IAF. Through his vision, we developed a business plan which could guide the establishment of this office and direct the future funding of the IAF. This plan envisaged the employment of a small staff with an office, based in Brussels, that would be able to provide the administrative support that the IAF needed in order to grow and promote the role of falconry in conservation as well as securing the future for our Art.
We have been incredibly fortunate in finding support for our Art and for the IAF from the leadership of Abu Dhabi. With the approval of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al Nahyan and with encouragement of HE Mr Mohammed al Bowardi, we were provided financial support for the Business Plan by the Emirates Falconry Club. The Emirates Falconry Club and Abu Dhabi have been incredible benefactors for falconry. They led the effort which resulted in recognition, by UNESCO, of falconry as a World Intangible Cultural Heritage and have sponsored and hosted a series of Falconry Festivals which have proved invaluable in promoting falconry, particularly among the youth, bringing together falconers from all around the world.
As a result of this support and the hard work of many talented people we now have:
- A Professional Office based in Brussels and occupying a historic building in a prestigious part of the city which is owned by the IAF.
- Recognition as a significant conservation organization which is actively promoting conservation through sustainable use and the conservation interests of falconers. This is done at the highest levels of the global conservation effort and at all of the significant forums where falconers’ voices need to be heard.
- The capacity to promote and represent falconers as the experts on the welfare of falconry raptors; providing training to government organizations and setting standards for welfare and the use of falconry methods.
- Wide ranging projects and involvement to promote the cultural aspects of falconry, both tangible and intangible, which extend around the world.
- The capacity to represent and unite falconers from 90 nations around the world. This representation extends from the highest levels of international governance to the level of supporting falconers within local and indigenous communities.
There is still much to be done. Falconers in several countries still face bans on the practice of their art and these countries include some of the Nordic States, India, Australia and Kenya. We will work tirelessly to overcome these bans. At the same time, we recognize that all of the hunting disciplines face an onslaught of animal-rights motivated antipathy, largely emanating from wealthy western urbanized societies, and we have a major effort to defend our practice against the misguided rhetoric of this overly-influential group. At the same time, falconry must remain relevant and accessible within communities. There must be support for the youth and encouragement of those who wish to take up our Art. Older and more established falconers must give thought to mentoring and promoting the practice. Without the involvement of youth, falconry will wither and die.
In reviewing these achievements there are many who deserve my thanks. The leadership in Abu Dhabi have been an incredible support, both to me, personally, and to the IAF. The members of the Executive and Board of the IAF have provided their time, expertise and friendship generously and dependably throughout my tenure. All who have served on the extended Advisory Committee have contributed, beyond measure, to the achievements which we enjoy today. The staff of the Professional Office, led by Gary Timbrell, have loyally provided invaluable support and back-up for our efforts. There are the many falconers who have contributed to our efforts without an official role and often without much recognition and there are many friends, who are not falconers but who have shared common interests or who have wished to support our efforts. The list is far to long to name individuals so I hope that you know who you are - I certainly know who you are and I wish to extends sincere thanks to each and every one of you for making our achievements possible.
It has been an incredible privilege to lead this organization - the IAF. It has been a real honour to serve as President in its 50th Year of existence. The organization has changed dramatically but can now represent falconers effectively and provide the leadership and advocacy that falconry needs and deserves. In so far as I have contributed to this, it is because I stood on the shoulders of giants and I had real champions to support me. The new leadership takes over a very different organization but the real strength of the organization still remains in the selfless volunteers who support it. I have every confidence that HE Majid al Mansouri will be an outstanding President to lead the organization into its new era and he is deserving of all of our support.
I wish you all the very best for the year to come and may your falconry flourish and your hawks fly well.
Adrian Lombard
26/12/2018.
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