More than one hundred representatives from Indonesian relevant ministries, research institutions, UNESCO and foreign embassies gathered at the Indonesian Sciences of Academy (LIPI) on 17 October 2016, celebrating the inauguration of the Regional Training and Research Center on Marine Biodiversity and Ecosystem Health (RTRC-MarBest).

With the best wishes expressed with a graceful Indonesian traditional dance, the inauguration was addressed respectively by Dr Zainal Arifin, Deputy Chair of LIPI, Prof Dr Ir Iskandar Zulkarnaen, Chairman of LIPI, Prof Dr Arief Rahman, Executive Chairman, Indonesian National Commission for UNESCO, Dr Vladimir Ryabinin, UNESCO/IOC Executive Secretary, and Dr Somkiat Khokiattiwong, UNESCO/IOC Vice Chair and IOC/WESTPAC Chair.

“The Regional Training and Research Center on Marine Biodiversity and Ecosystem Health (RTRC-MarBEST) will be of great significance in assisting all countries in the region to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, particularly its Goal 14”, IOC Executive Secretary, Vladimir Ryabinin expected in his video address.

Shortly after the inauguration ceremony, a two-week long training course on Crustacean Taxonomy is being conducted at the MarBEST Center Building on the Pari Island, Jakarta, Indonesia from 17 to 29 October 2016, with the participation of more than 30 selected trainees from ten countries in the region. This training aims to enhance the capacity of young scientists for taxonomic research on tropical marine biota, especially for crustacean taxonomy, in view of the dramatic declining numbers of taxonomic specialists on specific organisms.

Source: iocwestpac.org