President of the CIC, Dr. Philipp Harmer (left) and Grand Master of the International Order of St. Hubertus, István von Habsburg-Lothringen (right)
On 30 April, 2022, CIC President, Dr. Philipp Harmer, attended an International Order of St. Hubertus meeting in Kremsmünster, Austria to promote the work of the CIC and to celebrate the new relationship between the two organisations.
The International Order of St. Hubertus is a global organisation and knightly order of hunters and wildlife conservationists that promotes hunting ethics and practices. Notably, the organisation recently joined the CIC network as an international NGO member.
On the evening of April 29th, the CIC President hosted a reception, in the name of the CIC, for participants at his home in Feyregg, Austria which was attended by some 30 people.
At the official meeting the next day, a number of keynote speeches were held in the much befitting location of Kremsmünster Abbey, a monastery first built in 777 AD.
In his speech, Dr. Harmer recognised and applauded the International Order of St. Hubertus for becoming an international NGO member of the CIC, while stating his intention to develop a close relationship between the two organisations.
Following on from this, he outlined the work of CIC in dealing with the threats to hunting and sustainable use in today’s world.
Particular mention was made to the influence of international campaigns targeted towards the UN and the European Commission. In recent years, such campaigns have often caught the attention of the media and policymakers alike, despite them often being founded in emotion and sentiment rather than wildlife science.
István von Habsburg-Lothringen, the Grand Master of the International Order of St. Hubertus, echoed the sentiments of the CIC President in his speech, where he underlined his desire to work together and share ideas with the CIC going forward.
The U.S. in particular was mentioned as a target area for joint focus, due to the International Order of St. Hubertus’ strong presence within the country and the CIC’s growing and influential U.S. Delegation.
The CIC once again extends its thanks to the International Order of St. Hubertus for joining the CIC Membership. With both organisations renowned for their extensive and knowledgeable networks, the new relationship has the potential to lead to exciting initiatives in the near future.
