The IAF School Links Progamme (ISLP) was established in 2011 as part of a public awareness campaign for the Mongolian Artificial Nest Project. Over the past few years, this programme has grown internationally with the help of dedicated falconers to reach over 7,000 students. The ISLP is the first stage of the IAF Falconry Education Program, forming part of a global strategy to educate those interested in practicing falconry and providing active falconers with additional falconry knowledge.

 

Objectives

To raise awareness of falconry heritage

  • To visit schools and universities and present lessons/ workshops on falconry
  • To encourage individuals/students to research and present information on falconry, specific to the country they live in
  • To provide means for students and schools to link with other schools and individuals from foreign countries and share falconry heritage knowledge
  • To celebrate International World Falconry Day (IWFD), which is annually celebrated on the 16th of November, the anniversary of the inscription of falconry into the list of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity by UNESCO
  • To encourage teachers to use online resources for curriculum lessons and individual and group learning

 

 

To promote awareness of raptor conservation

  • To visit schools and explain why raptor conservation is important to maintain the balance within environments with reference to food chains and the biological control of rodents
  • To encourage students to take an active role in local raptor conservation projects, through raising community awareness
  • To provide online resources on specific raptor conservation programmes, locally and internationally with specific reference to conservation projects promoted and/or funded, established, and run by falconers and supported by IAF
  • To encourage and/or provide field trips to see raptor conservation in action

 

 

To highlight threats to environments and habitats and to encourage future conservationists

  • To provide information (online or talks) on environmental threats at a local and an international level
  • To take part in World migratory bird day with specific reference to threats to birds on migration
  • To encourage ‘child-centered learning’ and provide activities for students to critically think of solutions to minimize threats to the environment
  • To take part/promote World Wildlife Day, International Day of the forest, International Biological Diversity Day (as well as further days suggested by EWG)

 

 

To encourage young people to become sustainable falconers of the future

  • To liaise with IAF member organizations and encourage members to visit schools with their birds
  • To establish an ISLP representative in each continent/world area (to be decided by EWG)
  • To liaise with falconry clubs to provide one person to co-ordinate ISLP/ IFEP activities
  • To encourage falconry clubs/ individual falconers to provide youth experience days
  • To encourage interested students to join the IAF Young Falconers Group
  • To create online resources on falconry handling and training

 

 

To embed United Nations Sustainable Development Goals into ISLP (7 of 17 aims)

  • SDG4: Provide quality education through resources provided, talks given in schools and field trips
  • SDG5: Ensure gender equality throughout the program
  • SDG11: Sustainable cities and communities. Education how humans, animals, and habitat can co-exist
  • SDG13: Climate action. Promotion of habitat and animal conservation
  • SDG15: Protection of Ecosystems and a halt and reverse to land degradation as well as an end to biodiversity loss
  • SDG16: Promote peace and harmony through sharing a common heritage of falconry with different countries
  • Strengthen global partnership through working with international falconers, teachers, schools, and communities.