IAF eBulletin November 2022

Important note to delegates, to club representatives and to translators: please don't forget to forward this eBulletin to your club members and all the falconer you know, especially the many language versions, even if it is by a "share" on social media - you will magnify the falconer's voice!

This eBulletin has been published without waiting for translations due to the time sensitive nature of some news items. Some translations will be linked at a later date, so if your language is not there please check back later.

The eBulletin will be available in other languages thanks to volunteer translators. If you would like to take part, email muehle@iaf.org . If your language does not appear, we upload late translations onto the Facebook page

Historic New MoU between IUCN and IAF Bears its First Fruit

Following 8 years of collaboration in joint conservation projects, the IUCN and IAF have signed an MoU that formalises and promotes this relationship. The IUCN-CEM Sustainable Use and Ecosystem Thematic Group (SUME) will be the contact point with the IAF.  To both celebrate and initiate this agreement; the two organisations held a joint conference which was hosted at the Abu Dhabi Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition (ADIHEX).  The Conference is titled “The Significance of Indigenous People and Local Communities (IPLC) in Linking Intangible Cultural Heritage and Wildlife Conservation”.

The Conference was attended by the IUCN President, HE Razan al Mubarak, the IAF President, HE Majed al Mansouri, and Past Chair of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage, HE Dr Awadh Ali Saleh.  As Chair of the SUME thematic Group, I had the privilege of introducing the meeting. In this, I noted that it is no coincidence that these three prestigious individuals all came from Abu Dhabi given the sound heritage of conservation based on culture enjoyed by this nation and I used the quote by HH Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al Nahyan to illustrate this and to set the tone for the Meeting:

“Falconry is a constant reminder to us of the forces of nature, of the inter-relationship between living things and the land they share, and of our own dependence on Nature.”

 The IUCN President, HE Razan al Mubarak, and IAF President, HE Majed al Mansouri, both addressed the Meeting.  Both expressed the importance of this collaboration and the involvement of falconers in conservation.  The Meeting continued with presentation of conservation projects, from all over the world, initiated and managed by falconers and involving IPLC.  These include the joint IAF/IUCN-CEM-SULI projects which have developed www.sakernet.org and www.perdixnet.org as well as the SUME project: www.naturalliance.org which obtained support from the IAF Education and Translations Working Groups that have helped this portal to reach its current total of 42 languages.  The second joint action under this MoU will be the launching of another multilingual portal: www.falconet.org.  This portal went “live” during the conference and is designed to report the involvement of falconers in conservation, and will promote this engagement.

The second day of the conference included representatives of the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage and examined how this convention supports the practice of falconry as a hunting art and encourages engagement in conservation. The conference then continued for a third day with discussion groups looking to build on the IUCN- CEM-SUME relationship with IAF and look to a new relationship with UNESCO to facilitate involvement of IPLC communities.

This is the start of an exciting new phase for both SUME and IAF as the MoU recognizes the essential role that falconers play in the conservation effort.  We plan to follow through with a further conference and engagement in new conservation initiatives in the coming year.

Adrian Lombard

SUME Chair.

October 2022.

2022 IAF Council of Delegates Meeting

The meeting will be held from the 8th -14th of November 2022 and is centered on the town of Pińczów in the south of Poland, one and a half hours drive from Kraków airport, or two and a half from Warsaw. The nearest train station is at Busko Zdroj.

Attendees will need to make their own arrangements for transport from the airport. Car-hire is relatively inexpensive in Poland and cars may be shared for transportation to the hunting grounds.  

Only IAF Board and Advisory Committee members, National Delegates and official Club Representatives, and Individual Subscribers may attend the actual Council of Delegates Meeting. Observers may attend at the invitation of the IAF President. Queries to info@iaf.org  

Registration Form to attend the IAF Council of Delegates Meeting only

Our hosts among the Polish falconry community are looking forward to seeing all from IAF, as well as falconers from other countries who will not be attending the IAF council meeting

Registration Form to attend the activities offered by the Polish Falconry Clubs (to be completed by both IAF and non-IAF participants).

IAF Raptor Welfare Course

IAF has produced a Welfare Course for Raptors used for falconry which has been shared widely on social media and in previous eBulletins. We are reminding subscribers of the course as it is an extremely valuable resource for improving your own raptor husbandry, and may also be used to highlight the pro-social aspects of falconry. IAF is delighted to see this being actively promoted by member organizations and individuals.

This course is the culmination of work from multidisciplinary experts in IAF from countries all over the world. It is built upon IAF policy documents and expertise gathered through our work in international conventions and with local stakeholders and falconers. IAF is pleased to provide this comprehensive course free of charge to anyone who wishes to improve their understanding of the welfare of raptors used in falconry. Please click on the link: https://rise.articulate.com/share/QWVi9c79vdOdo7ubhQ2jPO7J_sy1ouHY?fbclid=IwAR1eqd6L_m4BcFxnQn2ylcV01WkZlHTnV--wtIPgyeAPLB-mpZbA3uT-HDA#/

2022 World Falconry Day Celebration

On the 16th of November 2022 we will celebrate World Falconry Day (WFD). Each year, we invite you to celebrate the inscription of falconry as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. 

All individuals, clubs and organizations are welcome to participate and use the WFD logo, irrespective of membership of the IAF. The only important consideration is that the activity should be designed to develop a good image of falconry at a local and global level. You can download the WFD logo from the IAF website If you wish, and your activity can be part of the official IAF programme and may subsequently be publicized internationally. To arrange this, please send your proposal to wfd@iaf.org.

The IAF team is suggesting  that interested falconers, clubs and falconry organizations visit a local school in their area with their birds of prey to celebrate the anniversary of falconry’s inscription on the UNESCO Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This activity passes on the knowledge of humanity on to the next generation, which is part of our mission as falconry was inscribed as a “living human heritage”.

Aim of the school visit ;

1. To explain what falconry is to youths
2. To explain the meaning of cultural heritage
3. To give students the opportunity to see a raptor used in falconry
4. To inform students and teachers where they can learn more about falconry in their local area
5. To give schools the opportunity to join the IAF Schools Links Programme

If you are interested in visiting a school to celebrate WFD please contact wfd@iaf.org or  nicola@efcuae.com.  We will provide you with the logo, activities for children and a PowerPoint on falconry and cultural heritage.  Thank you for helping World Falconry Day by sharing this message wherever you consider appropriate.

Submit your artwork for the 2022 World Falconry Day Calendar Project!

The IAF School Links Programme is once again undertaking an art project calling on all youths and young falconers to submit artworks to be included in a Falconry Art Calendar for 2023. The SLP is putting together this project to engage with school-aged children and youths in raising awareness about bird of prey conservation and falconry heritage by encouraging them to express themselves through art. Selected paintings will be included in the 2023 calendar. We hope that you will actively participate and look forward to your submissions to eduaction@iaf.org.

Permitting INDIVIDUAL SUBSCRIBERS allows IAF to recognize and encourage individuals who might not be part of a member club, to attend IAF events and to volunteer for roles within our organization. Individual subscribers also receive a copy of the IAF's International Journal of Falconry, a high quality publication issued annually.

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