Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- On the eve of the upcoming 14th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS COP14), the Government of Uzbekistan and the CMS Secretariat approved the official logo and slogan of the event. The conference will be held in the historical city of Uzbekistan - Samarkand from 12 to 17 February 2024.

The logo of the conference depicts a winged snow leopard decorated with a pattern reminiscent of the famous azure tiles of Central Asian monuments. The snow leopard is one of the key species of biodiversity in Uzbekistan, the range of which extends over the territory of 12 countries. The mighty and elusive big cat is also the legendary symbol of Samarkand, which is widespread throughout the country, from the magnificent entrance to the historic school of the Sher-Dor Madrasah to the national banknotes of Uzbekistan.

Although the snow leopard is a sacred symbol of strength and benevolence, its conservation status is of great concern, with only 2,700 to 3,300 individuals thought to exist in the wild (Source: IUCN Red List of Threatened Species).

The conference will be organized under the slogan "Nature knows no borders", which, along with the logo, is a reminder that the travel of migratory species is not limited by political borders and that their survival depends on international cooperation and transboundary conservation efforts.

The unveiling of the logo and slogan has set the stage for CMS COP14, an important international meeting that will bring government representatives, scientists and stakeholders together to agree on strategies for the conservation of migratory species and their habitats.

CMS COP14 will be the first global gathering on biodiversity since the adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) in 2022 and will address a wide range of important conservation priorities and new initiatives, including many that will support the implementation of the GBF .

The triennial international meeting will highlight issues of habitat conservation and restoration, as well as threats to species such as overexploitation, habitat loss and fragmentation, pollution and climate change. It will also provide a unique opportunity to launch major new reports and guidelines, including the first-ever State of the World's Migratory Species report, new global guidelines on light pollution, and best practices for linear infrastructure to minimize impacts on migratory species.

Events and meetings that will take place as part of COP14, such as the 54th CMS Standing Committee Meeting, the High Level Segment and the Night of Champions of Migratory Species, will be held at the same venue on 11 February.

In turn, as delegates prepare for the conference, the winged snow leopard and the slogan "Nature knows no boundaries" serve as a powerful reminder of society's responsibility to conserve migratory species on our planet.