The Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon (SPNL) has released the sixth issue of Al Hima magazine, spotlighting the upcoming International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) World Conservation Congress, to be held in Abu Dhabi from October 8 to 15, 2025. SPNL will participate in four key sessions at the event.
This issue features an exclusive interview with IUCN President Razan Al Mubarak. “I draw my strength from the resilience of the desert,” she reflects. Asked about her priorities if re-elected, Al Mubarak states:
“My priority is to turn IUCN’s vision into action. My second term would focus on six key areas: aligning the Union’s work with the 2030 and post-2030 biodiversity agenda; strengthening governance and collaboration across the Union; increasing value and responsiveness to Members; elevating IUCN’s role in multilateral processes; advancing ethical use of technology in conservation; and ensuring that all voices from all regions and cultures — especially those most directly connected to nature — are heard.”
In his editorial, SPNL Director General Assad Serhal explores how the traditional Hima conservation system—practiced for centuries across West Asia and North Africa—aligns with modern biodiversity targets, particularly Target 3 (30×30) of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which aims to protect 30% of the world’s land and marine areas by 2030.
“While state-designated protected areas are essential, it is equally important to recognize Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures (OECMs), including community-led models like the Hima system,” Serhal notes. “Lebanon has taken major strides by enacting the Protected Areas Law, which recognizes Hima as one of four official categories of protected areas.”
The issue also highlights the essential role of the IUCN Regional Office for West Asia and features articles by global experts in nature conservation. SPNL’s success stories throughout the issue demonstrate how traditional knowledge can be integrated with modern science to empower communities and restore ecosystems.
Editor-in-Chief Raghida Haddad reflects on the magazine’s evolution:
“Once a regional publication, Al Hima is now an international platform, amplifying community-based conservation and the timeless Hima approach.”
