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Information on the upcoming IZE conference, as well as highlights from past and other professional conferences and seminars from around the world, are featured below.

IZE Conferences

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21st International Zoo Educators' (IZE) Biennial Conference
August 28 - September 1, 2012
Hosted by Chester Zoo, UK

Abstracts for presentations are due by January 27, 2012. To register for the conference or learn more, visit the conference website at www.chesterzoo.org/ize.

Changing Hearts, Minds and Ultimately Behaviours

Agenda 21, the protocol that emerged from the Rio Earth Summit in 1992, identified zoos as education providers for ‘Think Globally, Act Locally’, the mantra that urged every citizen to take responsibility for their lifestyle and the resultant environmental impact.

The 2005 World Zoo and Aquarium Conservation Strategy clearly defines the outcome of zoo education as being to inspire visitors to change behaviour and live more sustainably.

Environmental education initiatives that aim to change human behaviour provide the focus of many field projects where human activity impacts negatively on fragile habitats and threatened species.

Facilitating change is one challenge zoo and field educators face; another is devising monitoring and evaluation techniques that evidence success and increasingly we are asked to demonstrate that our education programmes are effective.

How can we as a global zoo community address this dual challenge in a meaningful way?

Come and be inspired and share your own thoughts, ideas and experiences with educators from around the world at IZE’s 21st Biennial Conference in Chester 28 August – 01 September 2012.

The conference will be held at the world-famous Chester Racecourse on the banks of the River Dee just outside the city walls. Although it first opened in 1539, the facilities have been considerably upgraded since then and we will have the full use of the excellently–equipped Leverhulme Stand for the duration of the conference. Literally next door is the Holiday Inn Express who is offering excellent rates to conference delegates. The hotel is a five minute walk from Chester’s historic centre with the most complete Roman amphitheatre in the UK, the famous city walls and its stunning 1000 year old Norman cathedral. We will of course be spending time in Chester Zoo, a ten minute drive away. We’re busy finalising the conference fee and some other details and will be launching a conference website very soon. Online booking will be available before the end of the year. We’re looking forward to welcoming you to Chester!

Past IZE Conferences

20th International Zoo Educators' (IZE) Biennial Conference
September 28-October 2, 2010
Hosted by Disney's Animal Kingdom, Florida, USA
Read the minutes from the IZE Business Meeting.

19th International Zoo Educators' (IZE) Biennial Conference
October 19-23, 2008
Hosted by the Adelaide Zoo, Australia

18th International Zoo Educator (IZE) Biennial Conference
October 9-14, 2006
Hosted by the National Zoological Gardens of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa

17th International Zoo Educator (IZE) Biennial Conference
September 4-9, 2004
Hosted by Ocean Park, Hong Kong