July 25, 2013
Congratulations to 2013 Goldman Environmental Prize recipient Azzam Alwash and his team at Nature Iraq, who are celebrating a huge victory this week, following the announcement that the Mesopotamian Marshlands have been officially recognized as Iraq’s first National Park!
Alwash was awarded the Goldman Prize in 2013 for his unwavering dedication to restoring and preserving the marshes, which were nearly destroyed under Saddam Hussein’s rule.
Today, thanks in large part to Alwash’s dedication, the marshes are flourishing again- and after several years fighting to win government protection for the wetlands, his work has paid off.
Alwash reflected on the impact winning the Goldman Prize has had on his work, saying:
“The international spotlight the Goldman Prize brought to the Mesopotamian Marshes provided a critical boost in our long journey to permanently protect this treasure. We’ve worked for more than 10 years to make this happen–and we still have a lot of work ahead to make sure the wetlands continue to thrive–but today, we celebrate an important milestone in the history of Iraq with our first National Park.”
For a glimpse of the Mesopotamian Marshlands, check out Alwash’s recipient profile video on YouTube (CLICK HERE).
You can help the marshes continue to thrive by making a donation to Azzam’s important work through our partners at Global Greengrants Fund.
CLICK HERE to show your support.
