FFN Awards Event 2024
On Friday 19 April 2024, the Future For Nature Awards Event will take place at Royal Burgers’ Zoo. It promises to be a festive and memorable afternoon where the new FFN Award winners will share their inspiring stories and receive their awards. The ceremony is led by Saba Douglas-Hamilton, the chair of the International Selection Committee.
From a pool of over two hundred and fifty international candidates, three young leaders in nature conservation have been selected to receive this year’s Future For Nature Award. They stood out for their persistence, commitment, and impactful initiatives. On Friday, April 19th 2024, Callie Veelenturf, Rinzin Lama, and Hana Weaver will receive this prestigious nature conservation prize and 50,000 euros each during the Future For Nature Awards ceremony. The Awards ceremony will feature distinguished restoration ecologist and filmmaker John D. Liu as the guest of honour.
Callie Annette Veelenturf (31 years old) is a passionate conservationist who has dedicated her life to protecting the leatherback sea turtles in the East Pacific, mainly Panama. She collaborates with local fishers, empowering them to protect the coastal and oceanic habitat crucial for the survival of leatherback sea turtles and other marine life.
Rinzin Phunjok Lama (33 years old) is a conservation local working closely with the communities to preserve the elusive snow leopards in the remote mountains of the Humla region in Nepal. Through a community-led program, he addresses human-wildlife conflicts, empowers youth, and strengthens cultural connections with nature.
Hana Weaver (32 years old) works to safeguard the Puerto Rican Sharp-shinned hawk from the brink of extinction after Hurricane Maria destroyed its forest habitat in 2018. Leading a breeding and recovery program, she successfully raises and releases this endemic bird, contributing to its population resurgence.
This is an invite-only event. If you did not receive an email invitation with a personal registration code, you can join via our live stream through our YouTube channel.
Programme
14.15 Welcome at the foyer of the Safari Meeting Centre
15.00 Start Award ceremony
16.30 Networking and drinks
18.00 End of programme
Guest of Honour
We proudly present to you our Guest of Honour for the 2024 Awards Event. Joining us this year is John D. Liu, Chinese American film-maker and ecologist. Mr Liu is also a researcher at several institutions and the founder of Ecosystem Restoration Camps, a worldwide movement that aims to restore damaged ecosystems on a large scale. His well-known short-film documentary “Hope in a Changing Climate” was first screened in Copenhagen at COP 15 and on BBC World. Since its launch, Hope has been translated into French, German, Chinese, Vietnamese, Polish, Russian and Spanish. The film was officially chosen to commemorate the United Nations International Year of Forests, 2011.
FFN Academy Day
Mr Liu will also be present at the FFN Academy Day on Saturday 20 April 2024, at Wageningen University. This is a unique opportunity for students and graduates in the Netherlands to grow their (international) nature conservation network and to be inspired by the vibrant programme consisting of workshops, lectures, and opportunities to network with fellow passionate young nature conservationists, the new FFN Award winners and our Guest of Honour.
