Migratory Birds in Focus at UN Day in Bonn

Bonn, 12 October 2024 – Each year, “UN Day in Bonn” serves as an opportunity to showcase the efforts and achievements of the UN agencies based in Bonn, while fostering engagement with the citizens of Germany’s United Nations city. This year, the event gained added significance by coinciding with the second peak day of World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) on 12 October, which became a central element of the day's activities. 

Under the theme “Protect Insects, Protect Birds,” this year’s World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) campaign underscored the critical importance insects play in sustaining bird populations. The urgency of this global issue was emphasized during the official opening of “UN Day in Bonn” by the Lady Mayor of Bonn, Ms. Katja Dörner, in her speech, in which she highlighted efforts being carried out by the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) and the African-Eurasian Waterbird Agreement (AEWA) - two of the UN Organizations based at the UN Premises in Bonn, Germany. 

During her guided tour of the information booths set up for UN Day, the Lady Mayor also visited the special Bird Mask Crafting station for children set up by CMS and AEWA in cooperation with the City of Bonn to mark World Migratory Bird Day. 

 “She was visibly impressed by the vibrant, intricate masks the children had created to raise awareness for our avian friends,” said Niklas Zimmer, an intern at the CMS Secretariat, who helped organize the bird mask creation station for UN Day. 

In addition to offering visitors the chance to delve into a little creative mask-making project, the CMS Family was also present with an information stand where citizens could ask questions about the work of CMS and its instruments, as well as about the challenges migratory species face. Visitors to the stands were provided with informative materials, including booklets, animal posters, stickers, and printed copies of the World Migratory Bird Day 2024 poster, which was made available in English and German.

At the CMS and AEWA stand, visitors could pick up various informative materials as well as the World Migratory Bird Day 2024 poster. Photo: Florian Keil

However, World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) was not only celebrated in Bonn but across the globe, with around 300 events taking place worldwide. Accompanied by extensive media coverage, the campaign reached people from Mexico to China. Moreover, Ms. Amy Fraenkel, Executive Secretary of CMS, and Mr. Jacques Trouvilliez, Executive Secretary of AEWA, both gave live interviews on France24 emphasizing key aspects of this year’s campaign and highlighting the importance of insects for migratory birds.

Many visitors embraced their creativity at our Bird Mask Crafting station, proudly wearing their handcrafted masks as soon as they finished making them. Photo: Florian Keil