The annual meeting of GENMEDA took place in Malta, 12 November 2018, under the support of the ‘CARE-MEDIFLORA’ project. It was within the 2nd Mediterranean Plant Conservation Week which took place place at the University of Malta, Valletta Campus, Malta from 12 to 16 November 2018. The main organizers of the Week were the ‘CARE-MEDIFLORA’ project and the IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation and one of the co-organizers was GENMEDA member in Malta, Argotti Herbarium of the University of Malta.
The updates of the network since the previous year were discussed. They include the completion and continuous update of the new GENMEDA website and initial preparations for a new database with the support of the CARE-MEDIFLORA project. The 5 associate members that joined the network in 2017 were made full members and made presentations of their institutions. 4 new associate members further enlarging the network were accepted:
- the Botanical Garden of Hamma (JEH), Algeria, https://www.jardinbotaniqueduhamma.dz/
- the Institute of Mediterranean & Forest Ecosystems-Hellenic Agricultural Organization "DEMETER" (FRIA), Greece, http://www.fria.gr/
- the RIBES network - Rete italiana banche del germoplasma per la conservazione ex situ della flora spontanea italiana (RIBES), Italy, http://www.reteribes.it/
- the Natural History Museum Rijeka (NHMR), Croatia, http://www.prirodoslovni.com/eng/.
The team discussed the progress of their institutions and new project ideas on conservation issues to be developed by the network team.
The main donor for the CARE-MEDIFLORA project and the 2nd Mediterranean Plant Conservation Week is the MAVA Foundation, which is currently supporting several initiatives for biodiversity conservation in the Mediterranean region. Details about the event, including photos, programme and presentations, are available at http://www.medplantsweek.uicnmed.org/.
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