In 2006, the Blaustein Institutes hosted the first international conference on desertification, entitled “Deserts and Desertification: Challenges and Opportunities.”  This conference was the official event of the UNCCD’s northern Mediterranean nations in celebration of the International Year of Deserts and Desertification. It marked the first time that the UN has sponsored an academic event in Israel, and indeed, participation was truly global. Every continent was represented by conference participants, who came from Mongolia, Argentina, India, Niger, Australia, USA, Uzbekistan, Germany, Rwanda, the Palestinian Authority and others.  Africa was represented by government ministers and ambassadors, as well as scientists and aid workers.

In the evenings the participants were exposed to unique elements of Israeli culture, dining in a Bedouin tent, bathing in natural Negev springs, and seeing a live performance of a well-known local band. Beyond the abstracts from the dozens of papers presented that were distributed at the gathering, selected proceedings from the conference will be published in an upcoming special issue of the Journal of Land Degradation and Development, the leading journal in the field of desertification research.  The conference was also featured in the wider global press, including a spread featuring Israel’s accomplishments in dryland development on the front page of the New York Times Science Section. 

  Conference Brochure

  Conference Program

  Concept Paper

  Conclusions and Recommendations of the Conference Participants

  Abstracts Book

  Sponsors

  From the Press

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