Professor Mazin Qumsiyeh, Director of Cytogenetic Services and Palestine Institute for Biodiversity and Sustainability (PIBS), and his wife Jessie represented Bethlehem University and PIBS at two major international gatherings focused on conservation and sustainability.
In Abu Dhabi, they attended the IUCN Regional Conservation Forum 2025, one of the region’s most important environmental events. The forum brought together over 10,000 participants from more than 140 countries, including representatives from governments, NGOs, universities, and Indigenous communities. The discussions covered biodiversity conservation, sustainable development, and nature-based solutions to global challenges, offering a rich platform for sharing experiences, building partnerships, and shaping regional priorities ahead of the upcoming World Conservation Congress.
They also participated in the Union for the Mediterranean Workshop on the EU Deforestation Regulation in Barcelona. The workshop gathered stakeholders from across the Mediterranean to explore how the new regulation could impact trade, land use, and forest management. Participants shared ideas and strategies to support regional cooperation and help countries meet environmental standards while sustaining local livelihoods.
Through these events, Prof. Qumsiyeh and Jessie highlighted the work of the Palestine Institute for Biodiversity and Sustainability at Bethlehem University and reinforced the importance of regional collaboration in tackling shared environmental challenges.
