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From the very beginning World Migratory Bird Day has been a tremendous success worldwide. Each year since 2006, the total number of registered WMBD events has steadily increased along with the number of countries in which WMBD celebrations have taken place. In 2009 alone, a total of 130 registered events took place in 50 different countries - every single one is unique in its own way and as diverse and creative as the people and organisations involved.
WMBD activities take place in many different places, both indoors and outdoors. Schools, parks, town halls, education centres and nature reserves are all places where events have been hosted in the past. These can vary from birdwatching tours and educational workshops to dramas, festivals, exhibitions, painting competitions and other awareness raising activities.
Events organised to mark World Migratory Bird Day usually take place on the second weekend of May. United by a common theme and campaign, WMBD events have taken place in all corners of the world and have involved and inspired hundreds, if not thousands of people of all ages.
Get inspired by past WMBD events
To help you get some ideas for your own upcoming WMBD 2010 event, we have picked out a few past events which we would like to share with you. While this is only a small selection from a long list of exciting events which have been registered on the WMBD website over the past years, we hope that these examples will inspire you to get involved in WMBD this year and help you plan your own unique WMBD event for the weekend of 8-9 May 2010.
To become a part of this year's campaign - please make sure to register your own activity for WMBD 2010 on this website!
Kenya
 The central launching event of the very first World Migratory Bird Day in 2006 named ‘WINGS’ took place on the edge of the Great Rift Valley in Kenya. This impressive artistic show reflected the symbolic value of birds and their historic and cultural significance. More than 200 representatives from all over the world as well as artists from Turkey, India, Peru, Italy, Kenya, Germany and the USA joined this magnificent event.
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India
 During WMDB in 2007 several activities were organised especially for schoolchildren in Ladakh, India. On 12 May 2007 a drawing and painting competition was organised on the theme “Migratory Birds in a Changing Climate”, and on 13 May 2007 a symposium on “Climate Change Impact on Migratory Birds” took place. In addition to these activities, a poster produced specifically for the event was released on that weekend.
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Malaysia
 For WMBD 2008, the Malaysian Nature Society Miri Branch invited the bird photographer and birdwatching specialist Choo Tse Chien to Miri. Over the course of 4 days, the special guest gave presentations on migratory birds with a particular focus on the avian biodiversity of Malaysia. He also revealed some secrets of bird photography and led birdwatching trips. The events targeted pupils and the general public. The audience had a chance to see a professional at work and obtain a true birdwatching experience.
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Iran
 World Migratory Bird Day was celebrated at the Shidvar Island in the Hormozgan Province of Iran for the first time in 2008. Under the patronage of the local Environmental Department, students were involved in drawing competitions combined with presentations on migratory birds and their habitats. A special birdwatching event was organised with local media covering the campaign. Also, a special brochure was designed and published to celebrate WMBD 2008.
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Germany
 The International Wadden Sea School provided children with the opportunity to play the "Wader Migration Game", a 2 hour educational activity, designed to inform them about migratory birds and the Wadden Sea ecosystem as a stopping place on the East-Atlantic Flyway in the form of a game. In the role of a wader chick, the children experienced the adventure of migration and discovered the importance of undisturbed feeding and resting grounds along the flyway. Birdwatching activities completed the programme. Every participant received a "logbook" of the journey to take home.
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Botswana
 In 2009 BirdLife Botswana organized a drama and poetry competition for school children in the Gaborone area. The children wrote their plays or poems under the guidance of their environmental teachers and then performed them in front of judges. The plays and poems included references to barriers to migration and hunting. This event raised awareness on migratory birds and spread information among the children and community.
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China
 World Migratory Bird Day 2009 was celebrated in Zhalaiteqi, China with a month-long event. It started with a kickoff meeting, which was followed by a week long “Training of Trainers Workshop” with experiential games, a series of activities for residents of local communities and school students, birdwatching and field trips as well as a series of lectures.
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Armenia
 For WMBD 2009 the Armenian Society for the Protection of Birds organized a presentation and a birdwatching trip for school children as well as a “bird migration role play”, which helped to understand the barriers that birds have to face on their journeys. The National Museum of Nature in Yerevan launched the WMBD 2009 with the trailer, a presentation of the “Barriers on migration” and a “Yes or No quiz show”. This meeting was broadcasted on the two leading national TV channels.
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Argentina
 From 9-15 May 2009 the organization Conservación y Protección de las Aves visited several schools, colleges and institutes in the province of Mendoza and informed school children and students about bird migration and distributed information materials such as didactic guides and CDs with information on bird migration. The educational activities also included birdwatching excursions to natural habitats and the identification of barriers and possible solutions to reduce the threats for migratory birds.
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Nepal
 Bird Conservation Nepal (BCN) organised a birdwatching programme on 9 May 2009, to celebrate WMBD 2009 "Barriers to Migration." The bird watching programme was organised at the Phulchowki mountain forest, one of the Important Bird Areas (IBAs) of Nepal. As part of the commemoration, more than 65 birders and enthusiasts participated at the event. Prior to the start of the programme, Menuka Basnyat, Membership and Education Officer of BCN, highlighted the importance of WMBD, its theme for 2009 and the importance of migratory birds and what can be done for the protection of their habitats. The birdwatching programme at Phulchowki recorded 43 different birds.
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Egypt
 The Site Support Group for Lake Qarun Protected Area (Egypt) showed school children movies on migratory birds and the threats they are facing. Afterwards the children were invited to take part in a drawing competition and several prizes were given for the best drawing. The event's highlight was a trip along Lake Qarun, where the children were introduced to birdwatching.
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Have these activities fired your imagination? Then help to make WMBD 2010 an extra- special day around the world with lots of fun and celebration! Let the birds inspire your imagination to take flight and help you create your own WMBD 2010 event! Join us and register your activity now!
For more ideas for your own WMBD 2010 activity browse through the other globally registered WMBD events which took place in 2009, 2008, 2007 and 2006!
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How can you participate?
