International Vulture Awareness Day (IVAD) is celebrated globally on the first Saturday of September every year. It offers the chance to raise awareness of the threats they face and the conservation work that is being undertaken to conserve these essential birds, as well as being a valuable opportunity to celebrate them.

The activities guide is designed to help you plan impactful activities to promote vulture conservation, but remember, your efforts don’t have to be limited to just IVAD itself. You can organise events throughout August and September to maximize their impact under IVAD.

Goals

1. Raise awareness: Educate the public on the importance of vultures in maintaining healthy ecosystems.
2. Highlight conservation efforts: Showcase the work of vulture conservationists and their achievements.
3. Change perceptions: Address the vital role vultures play in healthy ecosystems and encourage the positive perception of them.
4. Engage communities: Involve diverse groups in vulture conservation initiatives and the importance of these birds.

Target Audiences

• General public: Utilise events like local fairs, festivals, and markets to reach a broad audience. Set up informational booths with interactive displays, infographics, and videos. Offer giveaways like stickers to raise awareness.
• Children: Design engaging activities such as puppet shows, storytelling sessions, and interactive games. Incorporate educational elements about vulture species, their habitats, their conservation, and their role in the food chain. Provide worksheets, coloring books, and simple quizzes for children to take home. Check our guide and resources for more information.
• Wildlife enthusiasts: Plan specialised events like birdwatching tours, nature hikes, and photography workshops. Offer lectures and panel discussions with experts on vulture biology and conservation.
• Local communities: Engage with community leaders, local organisations, and cultural groups. Organise workshops on sustainable practices, knowledge, and the benefits of vulture conservation. Use local languages and culturally relevant examples to boost engagement.
• Social media users: Develop a strategic social media plan, including scheduled posts, stories, and live sessions. Create shareable content like infographics, fact sheets, and short videos. Use targeted ads to reach specific demographics, and collaborate with influencers for broader reach. Check out our social media toolkit for inspiration.
• Conservationists and scientists: Facilitate expert workshops, symposiums, and conferences. Create opportunities for networking and collaboration, such as research presentations and panel discussions.
• Key stakeholders: Host meetings and roundtable discussions with policymakers, livestock breeders, landowners, hunters, community leaders and businesses. Focus on topics like wildlife-friendly farming practices, anti-poaching measures, and corporate social responsibility in conservation. Provide position papers and policy recommendations.

Educational Workshops and Lectures

• Guest speakers & expert workshops: Plan and schedule speakers months in advance, securing a diverse range of experts. Offer virtual participation options to include international speakers and audience. Record sessions for later access. Provide promotional materials like speaker bios, topic summaries, and suggested reading lists.
• Interactive sessions & Q&A: Use interactive tools like live polling, quizzes, and audience response systems. Organise break-out sessions or small group discussions to facilitate deeper engagement. Provide handouts or digital resources summarising key points and providing further information.

• School Programs and workshops: Develop age-appropriate presentations, ensuring it aligns with educational standards. Partner with schools and educational organisations to integrate vulture conservation topics into their curriculums. Create kits with lesson plans, activity guides, and materials for teachers to use. Include follow-up activities and projects that encourage long-term engagement. Check out our guide to games and activities for children, as well as our comprehensive IVAD resources with activities such as a scavenger hunt and games like a vulture maze.

Field Trips and Nature Walks

• Vulture watching tours: Partner with local wildlife reserves, parks, or birdwatching groups. Ensure all necessary permits are secured and that participants are briefed on safety and ethical birdwatching practices. Provide guides, binoculars, and field guides. Offer sustainable transportation options and consider accessibility for all participants. Include educational talks on vulture behaviour, identification, and conservation issues.
• Visit conservation-led zoos: Visit good zoos that lead and support conservation work of vultures to better understand these birds and the work being done to conserve them.

Media Campaigns

• Social media: Create a content calendar with frequent posts leading up to and on IVAD. Include a mix of educational posts, event updates, and interactive content like polls and quizzes. Use dedicated hashtags such as #vultureday and encourage followers to share their stories and experiences. Create or use our Fact sheet and  social media toolkit with ready-made graphics, captions, and resources for partners and supporters to use.
• Press releases and articles: Draft detailed press releases, highlighting the importance of vultures, event details, and key messages. Distribute to local and national media outlets, including newspapers, radio stations, and online platforms. Write opinion pieces or guest articles for local blogs and magazines. Follow up with journalists and provide additional information as needed.
• Online webinars and live streams: Schedule webinars and live streams at different times to accommodate various time zones. Offer sessions on diverse topics, such as vulture biology, conservation strategies, and success stories. Use interactive features like Q&A sessions, chat rooms, and live polling to engage the audience. Record sessions and make them available for later viewing.

Art, Photography, and Films

• Photography exhibitions: Collaborate with local artists, photographers, and galleries to curate exhibitions. Include professional and amateur work, showcasing various perspectives on vultures and their habitats. Provide detailed captions, explaining the context and significance of each piece. Offer guided tours and discussions with the photographers.
• Art contests: Organise art contests ( can be in different categories such as painting, sculpture, and digital art). Set clear guidelines for submissions, including deadlines, themes, and criteria for judging. Showcase winning pieces in public spaces or online galleries. Offer prizes and certificates to encourage participation.
• Documentaries: Partner with filmmakers, local theaters, and community centers to screen documentaries. Offer a range of films, from short educational clips to full-length documentaries. Organise discussions and Q&A sessions with experts after the screenings to deepen understanding and engagement.

Community Events

• Vulture festivals: Organise vulture conservation festivals featuring games, educational booths, conservation information and interactive activities celebrating vultures and engaging them with the related conservation efforts. Create opportunities for community members to share their stories and experiences with vultures.

Research, collaboration, and stakeholder engagement

• Collaboration and knowledge sharing: Foster joint efforts among researchers and conservationists to advance vulture research. Encourage data sharing and the publication of findings to deepen the understanding of vulture ecology and inform conservation strategies.
• Capacity building and training: Offer training programmes to enhance the skills and bridge knowledge gaps among key stakeholders to empower them to find solutions.
• Stakeholder engagement and education: Organise workshops for key stakeholders, including livestock breeders, landowners, hunters, and policymakers. These sessions aim to raise awareness about the importance of vultures and encourage the adoption of conservation-friendly practices.

• Citizen science vulture monitoring projects: Train volunteers for vulture sighting and monitoring, contributing valuable data to conservation efforts.

Planning and Execution Tips

1. Set clear objectives: Define specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals for each activity. For example, aim to educate 500 people, increase social media engagement by 20%, or recruit 50 volunteers.
2. Identify your target audience: Tailor activities to different groups.
3. Create a timeline: Develop a detailed timeline, including key milestones and deadlines. Consider logistical aspects such as venue booking, speaker arrangements, and promotional activities. Include contingency plans for potential issues, such as bad weather or technical difficulties.
4. Promote widely: Use a mix of traditional and digital media to reach a broad audience. Consider partnerships with local businesses, schools, and community organisations for broader outreach. Use targeted advertising, public service announcements, and community outreach to increase visibility.
5. Gather resources: Prepare all necessary materials and resources, such as brochures, posters, educational kits, and technical equipment. Secure funding or sponsorships if needed. Plan for logistical needs, such as transportation, accommodation, and catering.
6. Follow up: Collect feedback from participants, partners, and stakeholders through surveys, interviews, or social media. Share event highlights, outcomes, and next steps with participants and the public. Send thank-you notes and acknowledgment to speakers, volunteers, sponsors, and partners. Use the feedback and insights to improve future events and initiatives.

Your involvement in organising IVAD activities is extremely valuable in promoting vulture conservation and altering public perceptions. By engaging diverse audiences and planning well, you contribute significantly to the global effort to protect these vital birds. For additional resources or support, check out the website’s resources hub.

These are just recommendations to help you plan activities and events for International Vulture Awareness Day. No doubt you will be arranging all sorts of different events and activities – please share them with us by using #vultureday and tagging us on Instagram with @vultureday!

Please note that while we encourage creativity and participation, the International Vulture Awareness Day coordinators hold no responsibility for the execution or outcomes of the activities and events you choose to organise. It is your responsibility to ensure that all necessary precautions are taken to safeguard participants and comply with relevant laws and regulations.