PROGRAM
The program is now available for download. Please note that this program is a draft and still subject to confirmations which may cause schedule changes before the conference date.
BACKGROUND
Lake Malawi/Nyasa/Niassa is the world’s third deepest freshwater lake and third largest in Africa. The lake is sometimes called the Calendar Lake as it is about 365 miles (587 km) long and 52 miles (84 km) wide (ie., 365 days and 52 weeks in a year). It has a maximum depth of 706 m in the north and is one of the lakes formed in the Great Rift Valley, which runs through the country of Malawi from north to south. Malawi, a former British colony, is 118,484 km2 with an estimated population of 15 million according to 2009 estimates.
The lake is an essential part of the livelihood of the people, contributing a major part of their protein needs (60% of the animal protein, or about 40% of the total protein intake). The fisheries sector also provides employment opportunities to about 60,000 people directly and to over 500,000 people indirectly in fish processing, distribution and associated trades. The lake is a headwater for the Zambezi River, connected by the Shire River outlet, which sustains hydroelectricity generation and irrigation.
Lake Malawi has rich biodiversity and provides several important ecosystem services such as provisioning of water, food, energy, and tourism to Malawi. The most important areas of tourism within the Lake Malawi – Shire River Basin include Lake Malawi National Park, Liwonde National Park and Majete National Park. These national reserves provide habitat to many mammals, fish, birds and reptiles, some of which are endemic to Malawi.
GLOW 8, the eighth Great Lakes of the World conference, will be convened in Malawi to discuss the ecological stressors faced by great and large lakes in the world today, and to highlight the ecosystem approach for the health of these essential water bodies. GLOW 8 will focus on Lake Malawi, while welcoming presentations on other great lakes, especially if they touch on issues faced by Lake Malawi.
If you are interested in attending GLOW 8 and would like to receive updates and information, please fill out the Intent to Participate form.