Twenty marine protected area practitioners from Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, The Bahamas, Belize, Dominica, Guyana, Grenada, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia and Trinidad and Tobago participated in an intensive 10-day course that combined lectures, interactive exercises, discussions, presentations by the trainees on their work, a field visit to the Folkstone Marine Reserve, among other activities. The participants work in a wide array of marine resources and area management entities, from government agencies, NGOs, conservation trust funds, and academia. 
 
Dr. Susana Perera-Valderrama, SPAW Programme Management Officer of the UN Environment Programme, encouraged participants in her opening remarks to “fully engage in this unique opportunity to share and learn with regional colleagues”. She emphasized the importance of “applying the knowledge gained within their communities, institutions, and projects, reminding everyone that the responsibility and shared commitment to conservation lies with each of us, to achieve a healthier, sustainable future for our region”. 
 
Participants expressed high expectations for the course, eager to network, learn, share, and exchange insights on challenges, solutions, and experiences, while expanding their knowledge of best practices in MPA management.  
 
The regional course was organised and funded by the IUCN Regional Office for Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean (IUCN ORMACC) through the Biodiversity and Protected Areas Management (BIOPAMA) Programme, the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism through the BE-CLME+ project, The University of the West Indies Centre for Resource Management and Environmental Studies (CERMES) and the UNEP – Cartagena Convention Secretariat and Caribbean Environment Programme (CEP) Specially Protected Area and Wildlife Protocol (SPAW) programme.