On 7 and 8 April, a regional preparatory meeting will be held back to back with the regional workshop to support the ratification and effective implementation of the Minamata Convention on Mercury, to be held on 9 and 10 April 2015, both in Bratislava, Slovakia. The meeting will provide an opportunity to participants to familiarize themselves with the agendas and the organization of work of the meetings of the conferences of the parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions taking place on 4-15 May 2015 in Geneva. Parties will also be able to discuss regional priorities and regional positions for the meetings.

At the same time, the Secretariat is busy planning the three day Science Fair, which will accompany the triple COPs from 7 to 9 May, reflecting the COP theme "From Science to Action: Working for a Safer Tomorrow". This innovative event will be staged together with a host of governmental, institutional, research and academic, and civil society partners, including the all-female crew of the Exxpedition, who sailed across the Atlantic Ocean recently to raise awareness of the links between toxics, waste, oceans and human health.

Check out their video trailer at: https://vimeo.com/119690498

For more information: charles.avis@brsmeas.org