ASTANA – Vera Voronova, CEO of the Association for the Conservation of Biodiversity of Kazakhstan, has won the international MIDORI Prize for Biodiversity in recognition of her exceptional contributions to the country’s biodiversity conservation, the British Embassy in Astana reported on Oct. 29.
This prestigious award was presented by the AEON Foundation and the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). Voronova was celebrated during an official award ceremony at the Conference of the Parties (COP 16) to the CBD on Oct. 29 in Cali, Colombia.
Her conservation initiatives support endangered mammal recovery, protect vital migration routes, and preserve the Central Asian Flyway. These projects have also positively impacted local communities by creating jobs, enhancing livelihoods, educating the youth, and fostering international partnerships.
The MIDORI Prize underscores the comprehensive approach of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and its 23 targets for achievement by 2030. Recipients of the prize receive a commemorative gift and a plaque, and a monetary prize of $100,000 to support their work in safeguarding biodiversity.