EARAZA General Meeting was hosted by Leningrad Zoo, St. Petersburg, on May 19-21. The Conference was attended by more than 100 participants representing various regions and cities in 14 countries including Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, China, Czech Republic, India, Israel, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Singapore, Tajikistan, Turkey, and Uzbekistan.
Following the voting, Svetlana Akulova, Director of the Moscow Zoo, was re-elected the EARAZA President. The new Presidium membership has been increased from 8 to 13 members. The Presidium currently includes zoo and aquarium specialists from eight countries: Russia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Czech Republic, Germany, Israel, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan.
Svetlana Akulova, EARAZA President, on the sidelines of the Meeting presented the project of establishing the Global Alliance of Zoological Institutions. More than 20 zoos including Moscow Zoo and other institutions from Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, India, and China have already joined this new organization.
At the conclusion of the Meeting, participants agreed on the venue of the next General Meeting: it will be hosted by the Greens Zoological, Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre (GZRRC), India. EARAZA Presidium members have handed the EARAZA symbolic flag over to Indian colleagues.