Since nineties, from informal to the formal collaboration between the Partners States sharing the network of protected areas commonly know as Greater Virunga Landscape, there is still some unknown realities and success stories to tell around that collaboration.

The Collaboration which started from the field, between the Park rangers while doing their routine business of monitoring the movements of Mountain Gorillas in the Massif of Virunga, has now expanded its scope to the entire landscape, and has received the blessings from the high level authorities of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Republic of Rwanda and the Republic of Uganda by signing a Treaty known as the Treaty on the Greater Virunga Transboundary Collaboration on Wildlife Conservation and Tourism Development.

Despite the long journey so far done, in conserving these shared resources, a number of people are still not aware of what this landscape can offer in terms of richness that can be exploited today without contributing to the loss and damage in the future.

In addition, many are yet to know what was done so far to conserve these resources, success stories and the and the landmark left.

In this respect, the Management of Greater Virunga has made arrangements for the campaign to raise awareness on the richness of the Greater Virunga Landscape and the added value of the Greater Virunga Landscape as an institution.

Two journalists focusing on the wildlife conservation and tourism development  from  each of the GVTC Partner states, were invited to take part to the tour visit around the Greater Virunga Landscape in order to elaborate fact based articles about the richness of the Greater Virunga Landscape and the added value of Greater Virunga Transboundary Collaboration in wildlife conservation and tourism Development.

Group photo for Journalists from Democratic Republic of Congo; Republic of Rwanda and the Republic of Uganda in Volcanoes National Park of Rwanda on May 23, 2023.

This communication campaign which started on this May 22, 2023 is expected to raise awareness among different actors from the decision makers to the communities with a hope that positive action towards the protection of the GVL protected area network can be boosted for the interest of the countries and population in general.

It will also be a framework to promote exchanges between countries through the sharing of information and knowledge on the realities of the Landscape.

Convinced that the conservation and sustainable exploitation of Transboundary natural resources requires not only the concerted efforts and work in the synergy of the Parties to the Treaty including partner states institutions, but also for non-state actors as well as private actors from national to international level;

This campaign is helping  to  achieve the following:

1. To have a fact-based realities on the Greater Virunga Landscape
2. To understand the richness of the Greater Virunga Landscape and the reason why it ought to be protected.
3. To have facts-based added value of Greater Virunga Transboundary Collaboration
4. Raise awareness on tourism potential in the GVL
5. Market the tourism opportunities of the GVL
6. Influence the decision makers on the GVL wildlife conservation matters
7. To raise awareness among various categories of players involved in the conservation of the GVL through articles elaborated by the journalists.
8. Promote positive behaviours towards wildlife in the different categories of audiences.
9. Publicize accomplishments of GVTC in the GVL
10. Understand from the partners their expectations from GVTC
11. Stimulate support for the GVTC mandate and cause.
12. Build a network for information sharing in the world of journalists on the GVL

At the end, the hidden face of the treasures in the Greater Virunga Landscape shall be exposed to the outside world.

Solutions shall be sought to overcome existing challenges.