The Pygmy Hippo Foundation Launch
Published 24 Oct, 2012
On 24 October 2012 Hummingbird hosted the official launch of The Pygmy Hippo Foundation (PHF) at the Natural History Museum in London. Over 400 guests attended the ball and keynote speakers were the Executive Director of the EPA, Anyaa Vohiri, CEO of LCA, Chris Marais, and Sir Malcolm Rifkind MP. An auction (and silent auction) was held and over £80,000 was raised for the foundation PHF.
Schedule of Events
19:00 Drinks and Canapés served
20:00 Dinner called and Silent Auction commences
20:15 Introduction by Dan Betts followed by the PHF short-film
20.30 Dinner commences
Speeches during dinner given by:
Rt Hon Sir Malcolm Rifkind MP
The Honorable Aanya Vohiri, Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Liberia
Mr Chris Marais, CEO of Leadership Conservation Africa (LCA)
22.15 Main Auction commences conducted by Rupert Bell
22.45 After dinner bar and dancing
01:00 Carriages
We would very much like to thank all those who have been instrumental in making this ball take place and to our speakers and auctioneer for giving their time to be with us today:
The Right Honourable Sir Malcolm Rifkind KCMG, PC, QC, MP was the Member of Parliament for Edinburgh Pentlands from 1974 to 1997. In that time he served as a cabinet minister in the Thatcher and Major governments including Foreign Secretary (1995-1997). In the 2005 general election Sir Malcolm won the seat of Kensington and Chelsea which after boundary changes is now Kensington which he won in the 2010 general election.
The Honourable Anyaa Vohiri is Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in Liberia. The EPA was formally set up in 2004 and aims “to protect the Liberian environment by implementing policy that ensures the long-term economic prosperity of Liberia through sustainable, social and economic development – meeting the needs of the present generation, without compromising the potential of future generations”.
Mr Chris Marais has been instrumental in devising models for South African National Parks integrating local communities into park systems. He also specialises in organisational development, consulting for many of the top 100 companies in South Africa. He was instrumental in bringing about the Leadership for Conservation in Africa (LCA) initiative in collaboration with various international corporate’s.
Liberia’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
In 2003, with a new democratic government in power, came a new set of laws to protect the Liberian environment – including the foundation of the Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA aim is “to protect the Liberian environment by implementing policy that ensures the long-term economic prosperity of Liberia through sustainable, social and economic development – meeting the needs of the present generation, without compromising the potential of future generations”.
The Leadership for Conservation in Africa (LCA)
The Leadership for Conservation in Africa (LCA) was established by South African National Parks, with support from Gold Fields Ltd and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). It held its inaugural meeting in August 2006, and works to establish links between business and conservation. The LCA’s vision is ‘to harness the collective will and capacity of business and conservation leaders for sustainable conservation-led socio-economic development in Africa.’ By the year 2020, the LCA plans to save 20 million hectares of African rainforest and currently has membership from 16 African countries.
www.lcaafrica.org