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The first appeal to draw up an international wetlands convention dates from 1962; it was launched during the closing session of the MAR project, organised by Luc Hoffmann in the Camargue, at Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, in November 1962. The MAR project, initiated in 1960, was a response to concerns caused by the destruction of vast areas of wetland in Europe and by the decline in water birds which was taking place as a result. Luc Hoffmann played a key role, with the participation of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and its Resources (now IUCN – World Conservation Union), the International Waterfowl and Wetlands Research Bureau (IWRB – now Wetlands International), and the International Council for Bird Preservation, (ICBP – now BirdLife International).
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