MEDIA RELEASE
27 October 2010
NOOSA THE NATURAL LOCATION FOR INTERNATIONAL SUSTAINABILITY CONFERENCE
Noosa Biosphere is hosting its inaugural conference titled Communities for Sustainable Futures:
A Dialogue, to be held on 24 – 26 July 2011.
The conference will bring together over 250 policy-makers and socially and environmentally
responsible businesses to discuss sustainability issues such as policy formulation, infrastructure
planning, energy and utilities, tourism and biodiversity.
With invitations already sent to high profile international speakers such as Madame Irina
Bokovna, Director-General UNESCO, Sir Richard Branson and Professor Tim Jackson, the Chair
of Noosa Biosphere Ltd Mr Michael Donovan said the conference is designed to demystify the
process of sustainability.
“We are interested in being exposed to the big ideas that we can use to bolster our own
community as well as assist other communities both nationally and abroad,” said Mr Donovan
The Noosa Biosphere was designated a Man in the Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 2007 and
has strongly focused on becoming a ‘learning living laboratory’ through the sharing of information.
“Conferences such as these will strengthen Noosa’s reputation and capacity as a hub for high-
level thinking about a range of issues such as social equality, sustainable development,
biodiversity, corporate governance and social responsibility.
“Just this week Noosa hosted a major international travel and tourism conference called Eco-
Global and next year Noosa is the host for the annual Healthy Cities conference - Making Cities
Liveable,” said Mr Donovan.
“These events also make the biosphere an economic driver for local business and increase the
brand reputation of Noosa, benefiting the community through financial injection and job security.”
The Noosa Biosphere’s Communities for Sustainable Futures conference program is still being
compiled with an invitation open to experts to submit abstracts by early next year for
consideration. The sponsorship prospectus has been launched and includes over twenty different
types of sponsorship packages.
“Included in the sponsorship packages are opportunities to present case-studies on the ‘how’ and
the ‘why’ different approaches to sustainable communities work,” continued Mr Donovan.
“The Noosa Biosphere recognises that we can't and don't know everything – that we need to
bring in other opinions, different approaches to diverse thinking styles, to enhance our own.
“This conference is part of making Noosa the natural place for conversations around
sustainability”.
ENDS
Contact: Anne Lawrence anne@clmc.com.au or Ph: 0419 696 184
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